


Camp Forest Green

by Cain_D



Series: Crystal Lake Adventures [5]
Category: Friday the 13th Series (Movies), Friday the 13th: The Game (Video Game)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Breeding, Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, M/M, Possessive Behavior, Praise Kink, Rimming, Size Difference, Some Humor, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2021-01-22 15:56:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 68,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21304691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cain_D/pseuds/Cain_D
Summary: Forest Green, once known as Crystal Lake, seeks to forget the terrors that occurred by the hands of Jason Voorhees. When the camp reopens for the summer, needing experienced counselors like Chad, residents discover the futility of their efforts. Legends never die.
Relationships: Jason Voorhees/Chad Kensington
Series: Crystal Lake Adventures [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1533191
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	1. Resurrection

Days came and went, but instead of dragging himself through each one, Chad always woke up with a smile. His spooky family had a way of soothing any negativity that reared its ugly head. From making his breakfast in the morning to tucking him in at night, Jason and Pamela did everything they could. Well, as long as those things didn’t involve electricity. The first time she’d tried to use the stove, a crackling disaster had resulted, requiring its replacement. But Chad couldn’t complain when they were working so hard towards the new beginning that had been started.

Eight months had turned the backyard into a paradise of lush grass, vibrant wildflowers, fresh vegetables, and trees that would eventually bear fruit. The only thing missing was the flock of chickens, though Chicken Pox and Mother Clucker were still healthy and happy. Jason and Pamela tended to avoid petting them, not wanting to turn fresh chickens into frozen. One day, when life was even brighter with Jason alive, more friends could join the family.

It was certainly progress, but nothing was accomplished regarding Jason’s resurrection, and the daily routine didn’t change much. Chad awakened each morning, worked at Joey B's Diner, came home, and often spent his time trying to translate the Necronomicon. Unfortunately his brains didn’t extend to ancient languages, and Pamela often expressed her disapproval over dabbling in such magic. There was one revelation, however. Roy had returned to work, though he stopped visiting the diner to buy cookies. Not once did Chad speak to him after murder night at Pinehurst. His interaction was limited to shared glances from afar—glances that caused his face to turn tomato red, even to this day.

Tommy was another guy who wasn’t spoken to. He didn’t return to the Jarvis House, nor did he make any attempts at calling. He’d probably been dragged back to the Unger Institute, and Chad couldn’t say he was sorry about it. The less interaction, the better. Alas, the peace and quiet wouldn’t last forever.

Chad's luck took a turn for the worse one night, only a day before Jason’s birthday. Fog crept over the ground, thunder rumbled in the distance, and the occasional lightning flash lit up the sky as he lay in bed with his cuddly ghost. A Snoopy hardcover book rested on his lap, ironically titled _It Was a Dark and Stormy Night_, and he didn’t even have time to open the cover before the phone rang.

“It’s probably just Shelly.”

Why would he be calling at a time like this? According to the alarm clock, it was past eleven. As much as Chad hated to admit it, his senses were telling him that the caller was Tommy. The phone rang and rang, driving him up the wall until he finally put the book onto Jason’s lap. Giving the number to Tommy had been one of the worst ideas ever, but it was too late for regret.

Chad peeled the blankets off and slid out of bed, fully aware of the blue gaze that was focused on his pyjama-covered ass. The weather was getting warmer as June progressed, but the free air conditioning hadn’t changed, requiring him to be completely clothed when inside. He rubbed his hands together as he strode to the phone. Through the years, it had remained on the floor beside the dresser, plugged in the same outlet. Already craving the warmth of his blankets, he sighed as he bent over and grabbed the phone out of its charger.

“Hello?”

“Chad? It’s me.” Tommy’s voice was barely recognizable, having a more nasally tone than it used to. Considering the drastic changes he’d undergone in five years, it wouldn’t be surprising if eight months had transformed him again.

“Uh... what’s up?”

“I can’t talk long. Meet us at the cemetery.”

“Tommy, wai—”

The only answer was a series of beeps and Chad hung up the phone. He couldn’t let Jason’s corpse get desecrated, so that meant taking a drive to the cemetery. But how could he stop Tommy? The obvious method was to let him get killed, and Jason agreed. A finger slid across Chad’s throat from behind.

“I know. Let’s take things one at a time. I’ll get dressed first.”

Jason was already jogging into the closet. Hangers clacked together as he ripped clothing off the rack. He returned with a grey sweatshirt and pair of sweatpants before Chad had even started to unbutton his pyjamas. The new clothes were tossed onto the floor and then his buttons went flying. With a heavy sigh, he shrugged his shirt off while Jason yanked down his pants.

“We’ll get there. Don’t worry.”

The words were more to comfort himself. His heart raced as he lifted his feet, allowing his sweatpants to be pulled up. It was all so sudden, but he shouldn’t have expected anything different. Of course Tommy would’ve chosen Jason’s birthday for whatever craziness he’d planned. In less than an hour, June 13th would be here, and he probably thought the date would play a role in getting rid of Jason for good.

Jason passed the sweatshirt up and then rose, waves of coldness radiating from his body as he clenched his hands. What a way to ruin a night. With luck, Tommy might get struck by lightning and save Jason the trouble of killing him. Chuckling quietly, Chad pulled his sweatshirt on, and Jason’s hands unclenched as he tilted his head to the side.

“Wouldn’t it be funny if lightning solved all of our problems?”

He shrugged, failing to get the joke.

“Well, let’s get this crap over with. I’ll need my rest for tomorrow.” Chad stood on his tiptoes to reach Jason’s ear. “We’ll have to do something special for your birthday. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Eight damn months to be precise. Self-consciousness was one of the side effects of having a mom in the house. Jason had even cut down on the ass grabs, always keeping a watchful eye to see if Pamela was snooping in an orb form, though she seemed to know when privacy was sought. She only entered the bedroom to collect laundry, dust the furniture, and when it was time to get tucked in at night. It was odd for Chad to be twenty-four years old and still treated like a kid, but it was also heartwarming to be treated like her own son.

Jason was feeling the effects of no sex to a far greater extent. His eyes twinkled as he extended his hand, wanting to confirm his anticipation with an ass squeeze. But then he lowered it and sighed, cold air puffing through the holes in his hockey mask.

“I’m sure she’ll understand. She must already know.”

Chad turned to the doorway, smiling at the gentle squeeze that followed. He flicked the bedroom light off on his way downstairs, keeping his hands on the wall and in front of him to travel safely through the darkness. The new electricity system was more efficient, but energy still had to be conserved whenever possible to limit the generator's gas usage. And despite being in the middle of the woods, the house shouldn’t be lit up like a beacon. That would be asking for trouble if any curious hikers decided to explore. So far, his luck had held strong in that department.

He grabbed his raincoat off the rack by the front door and put it on, then slipped his feet into the grubby sneakers on the mat. His keys and wallet were inside the pocket, so he was set to bear witness to Tommy’s potentially gory end. It had been inevitable, and that reminder brought a strange sense of calmness as Chad opened the door. With Tommy dead, there would be one less complication. One less barrier to peace.

Dark clouds drifted overhead, but there wasn’t any rain yet, and the full moon wasn’t hidden. It provided enough light for him to be able to lock the door and reach the driver’s side easily. Jason was already inside, sitting like a hunchback on the rear seats, his form beginning to disappear. The interior was extra chilly, signalling that Pamela was also hitching a ride. Chad chuckled again as he got the car started. The first family trip was going to be the cemetery.

Thanks to the fog, it was a treacherous drive on the narrow forest trails, requiring slow navigation. Instead of passing through Camp Forest Green, he took the alternative path leading to the main road. In two days, the camp would reopen, and preparations were underway to clean the cabins and organize furniture. Lizabeth and Darren, the two head counselors, had originally intended to open it on June 13th. But that would’ve screwed up Jason’s birthday celebrations. The camp did end up needing an experienced counselor, and what better guy to do the job than Chad? He’d talked them into delaying the grand opening. After all, there was a lot of work to be done to ensure the kids’ safety.

Nothing would protect Tommy from Jason. Hell, even Pamela would probably join the action. If her corpse had been burned, she would’ve passed from this world. And if the same thing was done to Jason... well. It wouldn’t, no matter what, so there was no point worrying. Chad had gone through more than enough crap in his short life. He would sooner kill Tommy himself than allow Jason to disappear forever. How exactly, he wasn’t sure, but he was certain it wouldn’t come to that. Not with two angry ghosts hitching a ride.

When the pillared entrance to the cemetery came into sight, he took a deep breath, his nerves firing up again. The fog had dissipated in this area, but that didn’t affect the spookiness much. The moon was now partially hidden by clouds, and there had to be tons of lost souls wandering around, unable to find peace. At least he wasn’t alone.

A lantern and flashlight shone in the darkness, heading for Jason’s grave. The owners had their backs facing this way, but one had to be Tommy, gripping a gas can in addition to his flashlight. He’d mentioned “us”, so he must’ve brought a fellow lunatic from the Unger Institute. The other guy had shovels and a crowbar balanced on his shoulder, with a hockey mask hanging off the handles. The two of them stopped at the angel tombstone, and Chad honked the horn to get their attention. He couldn’t believe his eyes as he parked behind the green truck. What the hell had happened to Tommy? A transformation had been expected, but this went into plastic surgery territory.

Chad left the keys in the ignition and exited his car. The rain still hadn't started, but the wind had picked up, overpowering the sound of him closing the door. His hair was blown in every direction as he walked through the dark maze of paths and fences. Finally he reached the angel tombstone.

“Tommy?”

His face was longer and leaner, the tip of his nose was thinner, his chin was wider, his skin tone was so even that it looked like he was wearing foundation, his hair had more blond, his eyebrows were lighter, and his eyes were paler. This went far beyond plastic surgery. This was sorcery. But not even magic could prevent the crow’s feet that had developed around his eyes. Yikes, eighteen years old and already developing wrinkles. He needed a better skin care regimen.

“You look different.”

“You look the same.” Tommy chuckled as he turned the flashlight off and pocketed it. He gestured to the curly-haired guy beside him. “This is my friend Hawes.”

Chad's eyebrows shot up. Tommy had actually made a friend, maybe his first friend ever. Too bad Hawes would probably be dead soon. “Where did you get the mask from?”

Jason had been buried with his mask on. It was one of the conditions that had accompanied the anonymous donation. This mask was wider and was missing the slanted chevrons, though it had the gash on the left side.

“I customized it.” Tommy turned to the tombstone and stared at the engraving on the base.

Smiling nervously, Hawes glanced between it and Tommy’s face. “Okay, we saw it. There’s his grave.”

Thunder boomed overhead, lightning lit up the sky, and leaves blew in the wind. Tommy didn’t react, continuing to stare at the tombstone intensely. This part of him hadn’t changed.

“Okay, let’s go!” Hawes hadn’t even taken a step before he was stopped by a request from Tommy.

“Wait a second.”

Tommy lowered the gas can and grabbed one of the shovels off Hawes’ shoulder. Over five years later, Jason’s grave was going to be dug up, and Chad’s stomach fluttered. The corpse would look awful, but more importantly, this shouldn't be happening.

“Don’t tell me you believe that stupid stuff from the book. He’s dead and he isn’t coming back.”

“I gotta be sure.”

Tommy stepped from the front of the grave to the side, stabbed the shovel into the ground, and began to dig. After lowering the lantern, sliding the hockey mask off the other shovel, and dropping the crowbar, Hawes joined him. He paused to glance at the angel tombstones in the nearby plots of land. They lacked the beauty of Jason’s weeping angel, making them look creepy instead, their faces illuminated by lightning flashes. Surrounded by all of this metal fencing, Chad didn’t exactly feel safe. He kicked the gas can a few metres towards the road, having no desire to get incinerated.

The hole got bigger and bigger, a mound of earth piled on each side. When Tommy’s shovel struck wood, he jumped onto the coffin to scrape the excess soil and roots. Hawes remained on his side, one foot planted on the pile. He stopped digging and tossed the shovel behind him. The crowbar was between his feet. Jason would be revealed soon, and interestingly, he wasn’t doing anything to stop it. After all these years, maybe he was curious.

“Okay, there’s your proof. There’s his coffin.” Hawes jerked his head in the direction of the road. “Let’s go!”

Tommy gave his shovel to Hawes, who dropped it beside the other. He extended a hand. “Give me the crowbar.”

“You’re not gonna open that. Why do we need to see him?”

“I already told you. Destroying his corpse will stop the hallucinations. Now give me the crowbar.”

Hawes crossed his arms and looked around briefly before grabbing the crowbar. “Fine, I got it.” Tommy tried to yank it from his grasp, but Hawes held on. “I really don’t like this.”

His grip loosened, allowing Tommy to pull the crowbar out of his hand. The coffin creaked as Tommy pried open the left side in several places. He tossed the crowbar onto the pile of earth and shared a look with Hawes, then glanced over his shoulder. The moment of truth was coming. Chad moved to the other side and held his breath as Tommy slowly lifted the lid.

Spiders had somehow gotten inside, their thick webs extending from the lid to the bottom. Tommy scrunched his face as he opened the lid wider, unleashing an onslaught of dust and the scent of rotting flesh. Hawes brought the back of his wrist to his mouth. Swallowing hard, Chad was able to prevent the gag and avoid offending Jason.

Worms slithered in and out of the mask’s eye holes, feasting on the flesh beneath, and black beetles had joined the party. There were so many maggots and bugs that Jason’s clothing couldn’t be seen. Strangely his mask looked like the one that Tommy had customized. Time had faded the slanted chevrons to nonexistence, leaving only the red marker on the forehead, and the plastic had warped into a wider shape. Maybe because of temperature fluctuations underground. Martin wasn’t a spring chicken, so he hadn’t dug a deep hole.

Tommy braced his hands on the ground behind him and swung his legs out of the grave, quickly climbing to his feet. He stared at the writhing worms, crawling bugs, and thick webs that covered the corpse. Sweat dripped down his face, his breathing became heavier, and his disgusted expression changed to distress. He looked over his shoulder, turning his head right and left. His gaze focused on a metal fence and he strode towards it.

“Where you goin’?” Hawes asked.

Tommy grabbed an iron pole with both hands and tugged on it, wrenching it free after a few tries.

“Hey, what’s that for?”

He stormed back to the hole and stepped inside, feet braced on either side of the coffin. With enraged cries, he began to stab the pointy end into the corpse’s chest, causing it to shake from the force.

“Oh shit.”

Hawes didn't make a move to stop him, but Chad leaned forward and gripped the pole, threatening to send himself into the writhing mess below. His strength was no match for Tommy, who continued stabbing relentlessly, focused on his target.

"Enough, Tommy! He's dead."

With a last yell, he left the pole embedded in the chest and then turned away to climb out of the hole. Chad didn’t remove it, not wanting to arouse suspicion. Breathing heavily, Tommy faced the corpse again.

“Oh boy.” Hawes shook his head. “He must’ve really messed you over.”

Tommy grabbed the hockey mask and tossed it near the corpse's groin. “Yeah, fuck you, Jason.” He walked to the gas can, followed by Hawes and Chad. No, fuck this shit. Jason wasn't going to get burned.

“Wait! What if the fire gets out of control? There’s lots of—”

A loud crack came from behind, interrupting Chad's plea. Tommy and Hawes dove to the ground on either side of the gas can, but Chad whirled around to witness the shower of sparks that erupted from the lightning strike. Blue light coursed down the pole, sending arcs through Jason’s corpse. Two more strikes arrived, and the sparks landed mere inches from Chad’s foot. The heat was so strong that it melted the ornament on top of the pole, turning it into a lump of metal. Once the shower was over, he jogged towards the grave, hope lighting his heart just as much.

_“Wouldn’t it be funny if lightning solved all of our problems?”_

A blue eye flew open, focusing on him immediately, and he smiled for an instant while Tommy and Hawes rushed over. The left socket was filled with criss-crossed scar tissue, dark grey in color with a slightly green tinge. Instead of the expected twinkle, Jason looked pissed off at being pinned inside the coffin by the smoking pole. It would be too hot to touch with bare hands, but Tommy had that issue covered. Squatting beside the hole, he pulled a pair of gloves out of his pocket and put them on.

“Tommy!” Hawes pleaded. “Would you just leave that thing alone?”

He gripped the pole and tried to pull it out twice, failing both times. The narrowed eye watched him as he entered the hole and planted his feet in the trenches on each side. He tried again, grimacing with exertion.

“Tommy, please. Let’s get outta here.” Hawes tapped his chest. “My heart can’t take any more of this!”

He finally removed the pole and tossed it aside, its movement followed by the blue eye. He took his gloves off and also tossed them, then attempted to climb out of the hole. The backs of his legs were grabbed by Jason, who’d risen in a heartbeat, and he pulled Tommy towards him. His hands scrambled for traction on the leaves while Hawes’ hands fluttered in distress.

“Ahhhh!”

Hawes bolted into the shadows and Chad took a few steps back, covering his mouth in mock horror. This crap had to end once and for all. But Tommy had some fight left in him, lashing out with his foot to send Jason back into the coffin. Letting out panicked cries, he ran to the gas can and dropped to a knee beside it. As he fumbled with the cap, his wide eyes darted to the web-covered giant climbing out of the grave.

Jason slowly walked towards him, his decayed body having eliminated his ability to jog. Before he could get within grabbing distance, Tommy stood up with the gas can and started dousing the tattered clothes, stepping backward as Jason stepped forward. The helpful thing to do would be grabbing a shovel and whacking Jason on the head from behind, but Chad merely stood beside the pile of earth, one hand still covering his mouth. Fate had resurrected Jason, and it wouldn’t have done that just to let him burn.

Tommy dropped the empty gas can and fumbled for something in a pocket under his jacket. A pack of matches was pulled out, and the flame caught on the first try. Another crack of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a sudden downpour, causing the flame to disappear. It was like the heavens didn’t want Jason to die again. He’d stopped his approach, standing still.

Maggots dropped to the earth, washed away by the rain. It fell in sheets, turning the surroundings into a grey haze. Tommy tried another match, striking it frantically, but luck wasn’t with him. Well, it sort of was. He was lucky enough to be breathing, despite Jason standing two feet away from him. And he was lucky to have a friend like Hawes, who came rushing out of nowhere to whack Jason on the back of the head with a shovel. The strike caused the metal to fly off the handle, and Hawes dropped it.

He had no time to contemplate the smartness of his decision. Jason spun around, and with a strong punch, he opened a hole through Hawes’ chest. In his hand, he held the heart, his long black nails digging into the gory organ. Hawes gurgled as blood flowed down his chin, and he fell backward into the coffin.

“Hawes!” Tommy shouted.

It was almost comical how the lid closed by itself, sealing Hawes inside. Maybe a certain mother was responsible, but Chad also ran out of time to think. The blue eye locked on to him, and the heart was given an underhand toss, making it land beside his shoe. He bolted towards the road, ducking under the gnarly hand that lashed out.

“Go go go! We gotta tell the cops!”

Tommy appeared beside him, surpassing Chad’s speed by a small margin. He reached the truck just a few seconds ahead and whipped the door open. Chad did the same with his car, slammed it shut, and cranked the key. Tires squealed as the vehicles took off, navigating the road that circled around the cemetery. Jason didn't follow, watching the departure with the metal pole in hand. In two days, a bunch of counselors were going to be on the receiving end of it, and probably Tommy as well. Such was the life of being involved with a mass murderer, but Chad could only smile as he passed through the pillared entrance. His ghost boy was now a zombie, and for the first time in decades, Jason would be able to celebrate his birthday properly.

First there was the matter of following Tommy to the sheriff’s department or police station. That’s what a normal guy would do. Or was it? There weren’t many authorities who would believe a corpse had risen from the dead. Sheriff Cal Tucker had been replaced by Mike Garris a few months ago, and the man was a complete hardass. A normal guy might realize this and say screw it, I’m going home. It was just an overactive imagination.

Chad sighed, continuing to follow the green truck. This would prevent him from getting a headache later on. If he didn’t follow, Tommy would get suspicious again, introducing more problems. And besides, Mike would likely send him back to the loony bin. After dealing with the law enforcement, there would be plenty of time to rest in peace for a day of fun with Jason.

It was just after midnight when Tommy pulled in front of the sheriff’s department. He left the truck running and the driver’s door open as he ran inside. Chad had more sense than that—while the town was generally quiet at night, there was still the possibility of riffraff roaming around. He turned his car off and locked the door before jogging to the entrance.

The sign above the doors now said Forest Green County Sheriff Dept. Although he’d never been inside, it seemed to have undergone other changes since the most recent massacre. The lower half of the walls had fancy green marble and the upper half had light blue paint that showed no signs of age. A deputy wasn’t posted in the lobby, but Chad only needed to follow the muffled talking from Room 101.

“Don’t shoot! Please!”

“You in show business, kid? You sure know how to make an entrance.”

He opened the door and entered the spacious office, drawing the attention of Mike and Tommy. The sheriff was sitting at his cluttered desk, boots propped on the corner and forearm resting on the polished wood. Two framed collages of black and white photos, along with a display case of four war medals, were hanging on the wall behind him. No wonder he was so high on his horse.

“I know you. You’re that kid who always gets into trouble.”

Chad rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that’s—"

“Save the drama. What brings you kids here?”

Out of breath, Tommy pressed his palms on the desk and leaned forward. “Look, you gotta do somethin’. Jason’s alive. He killed my friend and now he’s coming for me.”

Mike's eyebrows rose. “You better cool out, boy. Your head almost got blown off already.”

Tommy slammed his palms down. “Will you listen, damn it!”

Mike bolted to his feet. “Don’t piss me off, junior, or I will repaint this office with your brains!” He grabbed the shotgun off his desk and walked towards the nearby gun cabinet.

“Look.” Tommy raised his hands and gestured for emphasis. “Jason is alive. We dug up his body! I was gonna cremate it—”

“Hold it. Whoa...” Mike turned to Tommy, one hand gripping the shotgun he’d placed inside the cabinet. “What’s your name, son?”

“Tommy Jarvis but look, we gotta do somethin’! He’s even more powerful. He punched my friend’s—”

“Aren’t you the kid whose mother and friends were killed by that maniac?” Mike asked, pointing a finger and narrowing his eyes thoughtfully.

“Yeah yeah yeah, Jason murdered them!”

Mike stepped towards him, circling to Tommy's other side. “You been in some psychiatric clinic ever since, haven’t you?"

Their heads jerked to the hallway, where heavy footsteps were approaching. Chad stepped aside, allowing a chubby deputy to enter. Three takeout containers were stacked in his hands. This was Rick Cologne, the sheriff’s closest subordinate. He stopped between Mike and Tommy, glancing at their faces.

“Sorry, I didn’t know you had somebody—”

Mike interrupted him with a raised hand. “It’s no problem, Rick.” He rested his hand on Rick’s shoulder and shot a look at Tommy. “I want you to meet a former resident here, Tommy Jarvis. He’s got some kind of prank going—”

“Look, there’s no time for this bullshit! Jason’s gotta be stopped!”

“What prank, Mike?” Rick asked as Tommy strode towards the gun cabinet, followed closely by the sheriff.

Tommy grabbed the shotgun, but his possession was short-lived. Mike spun him around and shoved him towards Rick, wrenching the gun from his grasp in the process. The takeout containers flew from the collision, spilling egg rolls, chicken balls, and fried rice. Rick pinned Tommy’s arms as he dragged him backward to an open cell door.

Mike gritted his teeth and brandished the shotgun. “That’s what we call screwin’ the pooch! Iron this punk.”

Tommy struggled as he continued to get dragged. “No, wait! You gotta listen to me! Jason’s comin’ here, he’s after me!”

Rick shoved him into the cell and slammed the door shut.

Recovering quickly, Tommy whirled around and gripped the bars. “I tried to destroy him but I fucked up!”

Rick poked him in the chest. “You got that right, punk!”

“You listen to me.” Raising a finger, Mike stood outside the cell, having put his shotgun away again. “I’m sorry about what happened to you, your mother, your friends. But no one in Forest Green wants to be reminded of what that maniac did years ago. _That’s_ why we changed the name. People want to forget this was Crystal Lake and they don’t need some kid stirring up Jason shit again. Now you just _lie_ down and get some rest. In the morning, I’ll call that clinic.” Mike started to turn away, then looked at Tommy when he spoke.

“Ask Chad! He was there. He saw Jason!”

“Is that true?” Mike asked over his shoulder. “Or do we got another crazy kid on our hands?”

Sighing heavily, Chad leaned against the wall, arms hanging limply. It was pointless to continue denying Jason’s existence. The whole town would know soon. “I... I saw something. Lightning struck and then something came out of the grave. It was tall and rotting. The tombstone said Jason Voorhees.”

Mike snorted. “Keep talking like that and you’ll be taking a trip with this nutjob.”

Tommy rattled the cell door. “Just go to the cemetery and you’ll see we aren’t lying!”

“You get some sleep or I’m coming in there to put you out.”

“You’ll be sorry if you don’t listen to us.”

“You’ll be sorry if you don’t shut your mouth.”

Rick stuck a hand between the bars and shoved Tommy’s chest, sending him backward. “Take a nap, junior!” He turned to Chad and raised a finger. “And you, don’t be spreading any of that Jason nonsense.”

Tommy gave Chad a pleading look from the edge of the bed, and Chad responded with an apologetic shrug. There was nothing he could say to change the minds of these assholes. They had to see Jason for themselves. Understanding this, Tommy held his head in his hands and stared at the concrete floor. Off to the loony bin, where he would likely spend the rest of his days. His escape wouldn’t be treated lightly. As for Chad, it was time to go home.

He yawned as he walked towards the exit. It would’ve been fun to celebrate Jason’s resurrection right away, but his canopy bed was calling to him after a long day at work. As usual, his legs were sore from standing and his wrists ached from the constant movements that went into preparing the finest of desserts. Sex was totally out of the question for tonight. Hopefully Jason would just want to cuddle. Preferably without maggots added to the mix.

Shaking his head, Chad unlocked the driver’s door and sat down heavily. Ghost sex and now zombie sex. Maybe zombie wasn’t the right word. In the movies, they were always presented as being mindless monsters that shambled around and fed on brains. Jason was more than just a reanimated corpse. Some of his playfulness had already come out with the heart tossing. Brains, however, might be on the menu. Unfortunately they weren’t items that could be purchased at a grocery store, but that issue would be addressed later if it arose. One thing at a time.

Despite his eagerness to get home, he drove slowly. The storm had traveled elsewhere, but the fog was still thick in spots. He slowed down further when he passed Camp Forest Green, checking for signs of a massacre. The cabin lights were off, but the lampposts were on. A cream-colored Volkswagen Beetle convertible was parked down the main road that led deeper into the camp. It belonged to the head counselors, who were likely alive. If evidence of their deaths was discovered, Jason’s fun would be ruined before the grand opening. Why only kill two when he could make a greater impact by wiping out every counselor that arrived? He was probably waiting at home.

Indeed he was. When the house finally appeared after the slowest drive ever, Chad smiled at the sight of a hockey mask plastered to the window beside the front door. Even through the fog and darkness, the mask shone like a beacon, setting his heart on fire. It had taken over five years, but Jason had come back to him. Hope and patience had paid off, winning over despair.

Chad turned the car off and bolted outside, slamming the door shut. Another one opened, revealing his gentle giant, and thick arms extended hesitantly for a hug. His eyes teared up as he ran into the embrace. Cool, but not freezing, and there was no trace of maggots or other creepy crawlies. Jason had apparently hosed himself down in the backyard and then taken a vanilla bubble bath. Chad looked up at him and grinned. Words weren’t needed as Jason scooped him up and carried him inside. The door was nudged shut with a boot, and the lock clicked by itself, a cold presence nearby.

It was amazing how quickly Jason was recovering since his resurrection. He was able to speed walk down the hallway, his long legs allowing him to reach the end in seconds, and he began to ascend the stairs without issue. Except for the holes in his shirt from getting stabbed with the pole, his damp clothing was mostly intact, so it was difficult to tell if his skin was healing underneath. The skin on his neck was withered and a bit slimy, and some of his skull was showing on the left side of his head. His hands looked the same as they had earlier, with lumpy sections where his skin had rotted close to the bone. He hadn’t taken the gloves that had been discarded by Tommy, and he’d probably left the mask in the coffin too, not wanting anything that belonged to his nemesis.

Undoubtedly another phone call would arrive from Tommy seeking help to defeat Jason. The easiest answer would be keeping the phone unplugged and letting the battery run out, but it was useful for communicating with Shelly and Sabrina. Both of them initiated calls sometimes. Shelly when he was bored, and Sabrina when she wanted to discuss gas deliveries or toy sales.

Chad yawned again as the bedroom drew closer. He didn't need more toys, but he did need to buy milk, chicken feed, hay, and other stuff. The next few days would be busy, requiring adequate rest if he didn’t want to collapse from exhaustion. Thankfully Jason wasn’t sporting a boner, but given his ability to get horny in the blink of an eye, that could easily change. He lowered Chad beside the dresser and pointed at the torn pyjamas on the floor, moonlight making them visible. Wearing pyjamas meant no sex, at least for now, and Chad’s shoulders sagged in relief.

“I’ll just take my coat and shoes off. I can sleep in this.”

Jason stepped in front of him and reached out, his hand hovering at the coat's zipper. He leaned closer and sniffed the combination of vanilla and rotting flesh. Not the most pleasant, and he seemed hesitant to tip the scale towards the more disgusting scent of the two.

“You smell great. Did you take a bath?”

He nodded vigorously, proud of himself for thinking of the idea.

“You’re a fresh boy now. Don’t be afraid to touch me.”

The hovering hand moved to Chad’s ass and gave it a gentle squeeze. He rolled his eyes. “I didn’t mean there. The zipper.”

Jason let out a raspy chuckle and then jerked back, startled by the sound.

“You still sound the same. I’d recognize your voice anywhere.”

That wasn’t entirely the truth. His voice was still deep, but it lacked the smooth quality from before. It hadn’t been used for a while, so with time, maybe it would heal like the rest of him. Recovering from his surprise, he unzipped the coat and carefully removed it to avoid tearing the fabric with his nails. They were serious weapons, and Chad couldn’t imagine having them inside his body. What about a rotting cock? With more luck, the worms hadn’t feasted on it.

Jason noticed him looking at his big bulge that remained. He dropped the coat onto the pyjamas and used a hand to lift the hem of his shirt. His other hand pulled out his belt, and he tried to peer down his pants.

“Can I see?”

His eye widened and he shook his head.

“Come on, Jason.” Chad lowered his voice to a whisper in case Pamela was nearby. “I’m sure it’s great like the rest of you.”

With another shake of his head, Jason released his shirt and belt. Like his face, he would show his cock when he was ready.

“That’s fine.”

Chad’s curiosity had reached an all-time high, but he wasn’t about to make Jason more uncomfortable by bugging him about it. After slipping his sneakers off, he dragged his aching feet to the bed and climbed on, lying on his side. The bedroom wasn’t as cold as it usually was, so he only needed one blanket. His favorite, white with pink roses and pickaxe holes. He patted the space beside him.

Staring at the bed, Jason hadn’t moved from the dresser. This was Packanack all over again, but there was a difference. Back then, he’d been used to sleeping on the floor. Now he didn’t want to stink up the bed by sleeping on it.

“Remember when I entered the back room of your shack for the first time?”

Jason nodded.

“I didn’t barf then and I’m not gonna barf now.”

A few long seconds later, Jason walked to the bed and took his boots off. He lifted the blanket and got under it, facing the other way, his mottled head resting on the silk pillow. Chad wrapped an arm around his waist, but Jason didn’t wriggle closer.

“Thanks for joining me.”

A soft grunt answered.

“We’ll have lots of fun when we wake up. I’ll make you a tasty breakfast and then we can decide what to do for your birthday. You’ll be able to open your presents. You didn’t peek in the bag, did you?”

Jason shook his head.

“I knew you wouldn’t. You’re a good boy, Jason. A handsome boy I’ll always love. Forever, and even after that. It took a while, but we’re together again. A family.”

Footsteps creaked into the bedroom. They stopped on Jason’s side and then came over here. The blanket was tucked around Chad’s body, and a cold kiss was placed on his head. He smiled and closed his eyes, tears of joy trickling down his face.


	2. Happy Birthday

The sun was just beginning to rise, filling the bedroom with a soft light. The birds were singing happily, their voices heard through the open window. Something else caused Chad to wake up, and it wasn’t a cock pressing into his back. It was soft grunts and shoulder shaking. He rolled over and blinked at the wide-eyed giant standing beside the bed. Jason looked like a kid on Christmas morning, eager to open his presents.

“Happy Birthday, Jason.”

His chest swelled for an instant. Then he was flat on his stomach, only his butt and legs sticking out from under the bed. He pulled the large gift bag out, climbed to his feet, and clutched it to his chest, trembling with excitement. The same gift bag where the gold ring had come from. It glinted in the sunlight, a reminder of the promise made over five years ago, and Chad smiled at his adorable husband.

“Why don’t you bring the bag downstairs while I take a shower? And remember, no peeking.”

Jason nodded solemnly. He walked out of the bedroom, the simple act making Chad’s eyes water. The old Jason would’ve zoomed downstairs, unable to contain his excitement, but this one was limited to a speed walk because his legs hadn’t fully recovered. A new life came with different challenges. On the plus side, his arm strength appeared to have improved. Punching someone’s heart out was a huge feat and not something Chad wanted to see again. The image was fresh in his mind, making his stomach flip as he stood up and walked towards the doorway.

Heavy footsteps were already upstairs before he reached it. They passed the bedroom and stopped in the bathroom. Water started running, and a loud grunt asked him to hurry up. He smiled again as he quickened his pace, pushing past his grogginess. Black silk shorts, a muscle shirt, and socks awaited him on the counter, and clean sneakers were below them. The shower was ready to be entered. A hockey mask poked out from the back of the curtain, but none of Jason’s clothes were on the floor except for his boots.

His self-consciousness was returning. Keeping the smile on his face, Chad didn’t let his disappointment show as he removed his sweatshirt, pants, and socks. Patience would pay off like it had done earlier. He entered the warm shower from the front and waited for Jason to grab the shampoo, but even that didn’t come.

“Remember what I said? Don’t be afraid to touch me. Ass, hair, whatever. When people are exposed to a scent for a while, they stop noticing it.”

That was the truth. The rotting scent wasn’t noticeable anymore and now Jason just smelled earthy. Thankfully he believed it. He grabbed the vanilla shampoo, squeezed a blob onto Chad’s head, and used his fingertips to massage it in. He was afraid to use his hands, but this was progress.

“Did you get any sleep last night?”

Jason paused and stuck a finger out, waving it from side to side in a "no" gesture. He’d either been too excited about his birthday, or zombies didn’t need to sleep.

“What about hunger?”

The finger hesitated, curling slightly. He didn’t want to admit that he wasn’t hungry.

“It’s okay. I’ll still make you breakfast, but you don’t have to eat if you don’t want to.”

Jason resumed massaging until the suds were rinsed out, then followed up with conditioner, saturating every strand by running them between his fingers and thumbs. Once that was also rinsed, he didn’t hesitate when reaching for the shower gel. It was squirted onto Chad’s back, and hands began to roam, regaining their confidence. The lumpy texture was odd but not unpleasant, and pieces of rotting skin didn’t drift down the drain. Perhaps the Necronomicon’s magic was turning everything into scar tissue.

Suddenly the pieces started to fit together. In the past, Jason had been unsure of his scars.

“Your hands feel nice. They add interesting texture.”

They slid lower, pausing on each cheek, and gave a series of gentle squeezes. If it weren’t for those deadly nails, Jason could get more adventurous, but he went back to business by soaping Chad’s legs. Then his neck, arms, chest, and even behind his ears, which were given a vigorous scrub by the pads of Jason’s thumbs. Much to Chad’s disappointment, the cleansing stopped there, avoiding his dick and balls. Probably for the best. That kind of fun could be saved for tonight, assuming Jason was able to overcome his shyness.

After lathering and rinsing his neglected nether region, Chad turned the shower off. There was no point trying to wash Jason when he hadn’t even removed his clothes. Pulling the curtain back, Chad stepped out of the tub and Jason did the same. The wet clothes stuck to him like glue, outlining his muscles and bulge. Okay, so the worms likely wouldn’t have spared his huge balls and cock, but what was he afraid of? Scar tissue would only add to the sensations during sex.

Jason noticed him looking again, but instead of peering down his pants, he went straight for the towel rack and grabbed one. He stretched out the towel and waited for Chad to walk over, which he did. Using fast swipes, Jason dried him off from hair to feet. His own feet looked similar to his hands, with long black nails and dark skin that had rotted close to the bone in some places. He hung the towel up and walked to the shabby boots beside the tub, leaving streams of water behind him.

“You don’t want me to dry you off?”

He tilted his head down, staring at his boots. Finally he grunted softly and rolled his shirt up, revealing the lower half of his back. A horizontal bone in his spinal column was visible just above his ass, and another was located a bit higher, jagged skin surrounding the exposed areas. Chad almost chuckled at the insignificance as he grabbed a dry towel and stepped behind Jason.

“It’s just skin and bones. Everyone has them.”

Chad dabbed what he could, then moved the towel to Jason’s front. His abs were still there, separated by deep grooves and lumpy in texture like the rest of his skin.

“You’re such a muscular boy, Jason. Can you roll up your shirt more so I can dry your chest?”

He listened in a heartbeat, the praise helping him regain more of his confidence. Chad traced the bottom of a meaty pec. It felt normal and so did the other, but it was difficult to be certain through the towel fibers. The upper half of Jason’s back had scarred dips from decomposition. Again, nothing that warranted this level of shyness. Chad dried it carefully in case of any sensitivity, then stood on his tiptoes to dab Jason’s head. So far, this was the worst area, covered in vertical scars from when Tommy had hacked him with the machete. Part of his skull was still showing on the left side. Overall though, the decomposition wasn’t as bad as it would’ve been when Pamela had resurrected him from the lake.

“What about your legs? I can do them too.”

Jason tugged his shirt down and turned around. He took the towel gently, wanting to dry his legs himself.

“Okay. I’ll get dressed while you do that.”

Chad kept his back turned as he got dressed in the muscle shirt, shorts, socks, and sneakers. Clothes rustled behind him, but he didn’t dare to peek over his shoulder. He just had to be patient and let Jason show himself on his own terms.

“I’ll start preparing breakfast. Take your time in here. Once we’re done eating, you can open your presents. Unless you wanna wait until I bake you a—”

At the mention of presents, Jason stomped towards the hallway, trying his best to jog. He bent his arms at the elbow, but his legs wouldn’t cooperate, limiting him to the speed walk. It was a sight that made Chad’s eyes water again as he followed. He blinked them away, remembering that this should be a joyous day, not one spent dwelling on the things Jason couldn’t do anymore. At least he could walk and descend stairs. At least he was alive in a sense. That was the most important thing of all.

The gift bag stood on the side of the table, waiting to be opened by the birthday boy. Jason sat in his usual spot, facing the stove, and Chad went to the fridge to see what was left. Four eggs, half a jug of milk, a few pieces of sliced turkey breast, cheese, margarine, condiments, maple syrup, two full crisper drawers with fresh vegetables, and two green apples. He grabbed an egg, the jug of milk, and syrup, setting them on the counter. Four slices of bread remained, and there was plenty of cinnamon and vanilla extract in the cupboard to make french toast. He oiled a frying pan, turned the stove on, beat the ingredients together, dipped each side of the bread into the mixture, and laid them into the pan.

He turned to the table, where Jason was still waiting patiently with his hands on his lap. “Can you watch the pan for a minute? I have something to check outside.”

Jason stood up and strode to the stove, sniffing the air on his way. His stomach wasn’t making gurgles like it usually did, but he seemed interested in the food, leaning down to get a better whiff. Chad gave him a smile before jogging out of the kitchen, down the hallway, and to the front door. Something would be on the other side. During a phone call last week, Sabrina had made an odd remark. _His birthday is coming up, isn’t it?_

Chad unlocked and opened the door. Sure enough, a small box with a red lips imprint was on the mat. She’d left presents on the major holidays and his birthday, but never Jason’s birthday. Why start now, especially when they’d only seen each other during the visit to her store? And what the hell was inside that box? Chad picked it up and nudged the door closed with his foot, unable to contain his curiosity as he jogged back. Whatever was inside, it rattled around, the noises causing Jason to glance over his shoulder from the stove.

“I think you have another present to open.”

Chad set the box beside the gift bag. Approaching it slowly, Jason stared at the red lips, his eye narrowing in concentration. He sat down at the table and grabbed the box, shaking it close to an ear.

“We should open that one upstairs.”

Considering the stuff Sabrina sold in her store, the box’s contents were probably lewd. Not exactly suitable for a mother’s eyes. The kitchen had a normal temperature, so maybe she was snooping at Camp Crystal Lake. Wherever she was, Jason agreed that opening the box upstairs was the better option. He placed it onto the floor and gave it a hard shove, sending it across the hallway towards the staircase.

The scent of french toast reminded Chad of the breakfast that risked getting burnt. He bolted to the stove and sighed in relief. Jason had used a fork to turn the pieces over, revealing golden toast that was cooked to perfection, and he’d also set two plates on the counter. Chad turned the stove off and forked two pieces onto each plate, then brought them to the table. He returned for the maple syrup, his stomach growling. It had been months since he’d eaten this, and hopefully Jason would enjoy the meal with him. But what about the mask? It was still on and Jason made no move to take it off, staring at the syrup bottle on the middle of the table.

Chad sat across from him and drizzled a small amount of syrup over both pieces. He slid the bottle beside Jason’s plate, smiling encouragingly. “They smell good, don't they? You did a great job flipping them over.”

He pulled his plate closer and bowed his head, giving Jason the opportunity to eat without having eyes on him. That wasn’t enough to get him to remove his mask or even lift it slightly. Jason moved the tall gift bag from the side of the table to the middle and hunched his back, only his arms visible around the edges.

The gift bag served its purpose, soft grunts and growls emerging from behind it as Jason began to eat. His taste buds had to be working. Chad cut a piece off with his fork and took a bite, unable to prevent the little moan of pleasure. The sound made Jason stop eating, and a peek under the table revealed that his cock was also working. A tent was starting to pitch, but it didn't last long. He must’ve been thinking of a naked grandma or the thought of his mother seeing him with a boner.

Smiling to himself, Chad resumed eating. More progress. He’d been worried that Jason wouldn’t be able to get one, given the lack of sexual response in the shower, but now the worry seemed silly. Of course a zombie could get hard. A ghost could, and it wasn’t like the worms and bugs had eaten Jason’s cock to oblivion. He wouldn’t have a bulge if that were the case.

A nagging question remained. Why didn’t Jason want to show it? Waiting would be torture unless Chad could use his brains to quicken the process. Fortunately he had an idea for tonight. With enough temptation, Jason wouldn’t be able to hold back. Just like now. His grunts and growls had started up again. If his appetite could return, then so could his horniness.

The sounds stopped for a second time, indicating that Jason had finished eating, and Chad snarfed the last few bites. Enough thinking about cocks. The long-awaited presents were more important. He gave Jason a few seconds to put his mask on before standing up to collect the plates. Along with the dirty bowl, he brought them to the sink and rinsed them so they wouldn’t get nasty throughout the day. Milk was put into the fridge, vanilla and cinnamon were put into the cupboard, eggshells were gathered and tossed into the trashcan, and hands were washed.

When he turned to the table, Jason had the gift bag on his lap. Chad sat on the chair near him to get a closer look at his reactions. The bag didn’t contain anything extravagant. Jason was the more practical type, caring little for stuff like decorations, so hopefully he would enjoy these presents. He was harder to read with his mask on.

Jason grabbed the white envelope at the top of the blue tissue paper. A card was inside, showing a Persian cat on the cover. He opened it and read the handwritten words. _I hope you have a purrfect birthday. Love, Chad._ Jason's eye twinkled as he closed the card and set it aside.

He removed the four pieces of crumpled tissue paper and smoothed them over the table carefully. Not wanting to spoil the surprises, he stared straight ahead as he pulled out the first item and laid it on the tissue. It was a dark green button-down shirt with a flap pocket on each side, matching his current shirt. Because of his huge size, it had been impossible to find, so Chad had resorted to getting it custom-made by guessing the measurements.

Jason stood up and gripped the collar of his old shirt. He tore it down the middle, eager to get out of the thing he’d worn for years. Eager to prove his gratefulness for the gift. As he slid the shirt off, Chad pretended to examine the new shirt for defects by checking the stitching on the cuffs. It had been sitting in the bag for an equal amount of time, so there were some wrinkles in the fabric, but a crisp shirt would look out of place on Jason anyway. He undid the buttons carefully, grabbed it like a piece of glass, and put it on while Chad kept his gaze on the scratched table. His peripheral vision showed the same muscular body, but with dark grey skin and more scars. A grunt told him when Jason was ready for an inspection.

“It looks great on you.”

The shirt was a perfect fit, accenting Jason’s thick neck, broad shoulders, and huge biceps. He lifted his arms and circled his shoulders, testing the strength of the fabric. It was loose enough to prevent the seams from ripping. The hole-covered shirt lay beside his chair, long overdue for replacement, and he grunted his thanks.

“You’re welcome. There’s a lot more stuff in the bag.”

Jason grabbed the next item, tan-colored pants that were also custom-made. They had extra room in the bulge area and would ease the discomfort whenever he got a boner. But there was still the cock issue, and he froze in place, staring down at the hem of his shirt. Respecting his shyness, Chad stood up and turned to the stove. Rustling sounds came from behind, and when the kitchen was silent again, he turned back. The pants also fit Jason perfectly, draping over his bulge and making it difficult to look away.

“They make your bulge look amazing.”

Chad’s face heated up as he tore his eyes away from the tempting sight. Now he needed the help of the naked grandma. He cleared his throat and sat down, avoiding the blue eye that was twinkling again.

Jason pulled a utility belt out of the bag. It had a clip at the front instead of the standard loop, a large pouch with three slots for throwing knives, a sheath for a hunting knife, and a longer sheath for a machete. He wrapped the belt around his waist and clipped it, nodding his approval at the fit.

“It comes with accessories.”

He removed a flat box, set it on the tissue paper, and lifted the lid. Three shiny throwing knives were wrapped in a piece of blue cloth. Each one had a different colored lure hanging from the end. Green, yellow, and red. He slid the knives into his pouch, leaving room for three more if he squeezed them in. They would be useful for crippling any runners. It was a morbid thought, but it was also something Chad had accepted when he’d purchased them over five years ago.

Two more boxes were taken out and laid side by side. They contained a pristine machete and a hunting knife, which had one sharp edge and one toothed edge.

“In case you get bored of using your pole.”

Jason grabbed the knife and held out his other palm. The blade nicked the pad of his thumb like butter. Dark red blood, almost black, seeped out of the cut. In seconds, the wound had closed, confirming the Necronomicon’s magic was still active. He sheathed both blades simultaneously and then reached into the bag to grab a pair of brown leather gloves. After putting them on, he flexed his hands. The thick padding would protect them while enabling full mobility.

The last box was placed onto the table, containing short black boots in size eighteen. He lowered them to the floor and slipped his feet out of his stinky old boots. They were the same size, so he had no complaints as he wiggled his toes inside the new ones. Even his long nails didn’t pose a problem.

A package of black socks was the remaining clothing item, useful for keeping his feet from getting rubbed raw in his boots. Also for the cold autumn and winter months. Later on, other warm clothes could be purchased. He put the package onto the table and grabbed two gold frames from the bag. They had stands attached to the back.

“One’s for the picture of you and your mother. The other’s for us. Remember the camera we got from Packanack?”

Jason nodded.

“We can use it to preserve another memory.”

He placed the frames beside the socks and stared into space. After a few seconds, he took the final item out of the bag. A sign language book.

“We won’t have to worry about your notepad getting discovered again.”

Jason put the book down and connected his fingers to form a heart. He already knew a sign.

“I love you too.”

Chad stood up and gave him a big hug. His fresh boy was even fresher now, so Jason didn’t hesitate to return it, bodies pressed together as close as possible. Inevitably, it caused pressure against the big bulge. Jason released him and jerked back, still worried about Pamela seeing him with a boner.

“I don’t think she’s here. Probably snooping at the camp.”

The flash of anger didn’t appear as expected. Jason merely nodded, refusing to let his birthday get ruined by the mention of the camp’s reopening. He put the lids on the boxes, stacked them inside the gift bag, and laid the pieces of tissue paper on top. The only things that had to be brought upstairs were the card, socks, frames, and book. He was wearing everything else.

“Do you wanna feed the chickens and then maybe bake a cake together?”

Jason grabbed Chad’s hand and led him towards the back door, providing the answer. The rusty doorknob was a constant reminder that the locks had to be replaced with deadbolts. They were still sitting on a shelf in the shed, collecting dust because Chad didn’t trust himself with installing them. He’d never been the handyman type—his experience was limited to changing light bulbs and filling holes with putty. At some point, he also wanted to check out the spider-infested tower and see what was at the top. For now, chickens took priority. Jason unlocked the door and opened it, and Chad pulled it closed behind them.

Summer would arrive in eight days, but the heat was underway. There weren’t many clouds to stop the sun’s rays, and contrary to last night, Chad was already missing the coolness of the house. Jason didn’t want to rush things, however. His pace was slow as he avoided stepping on the clusters of flowers that were scattered throughout the yard. It was a shame that he only had one eye to enjoy the beauty, though he didn’t seem disheartened by it, walking with a relaxed posture. This was just another challenge to overcome.

How would the chickens react? He had a different scent and appearance. As a ghost, he’d refilled their food dish a few times, but he hadn’t interacted with them directly. It would be awful for his self-esteem if they pecked him. He released Chad’s hand and cautiously approached the chickens, which were scratching the grass in their long enclosure. They stopped and turned their heads as he stood outside the cage door, then went back to looking for bugs.

Chad suppressed the sigh of relief. “See? They know you’re the same boy.”

He opened the little door that led into their roosting area. The musty scent of hay and chicken shit assaulted him, causing him to gag. He gripped the edges of the water dish gingerly and shot a sideways glare at Jason, who chuckled at his torment.

“You’re being a bad boy, Jason. Now you have to sweep the poop.”

Jason closed his eye halfway, his shoulders drooping. He pressed a hand over his chest as if to say, _It’s my birthday._

“Don’t give me that sad puppy eye.” Chad’s stern face broke into a smile at the dramatic display. “We’re a team, remember?”

Team was the magic word. Jason perked up and strode towards the shed, where the brush and box of garbage bags were stored. Grinning at his victory, Chad followed him. He stopped at the faucet, dumped the feathery water, and refilled the dish while Jason retrieved the two items from the shed. This was just like the old days, and Chad wouldn’t have it any other way. He’d done most of the yard work himself because of Jason’s freezing body temperature, but now there wouldn’t be the same limitations. The sky was the limit.

And what a beautiful sky it was, with a hot sun shining its rays on Chad’s sweaty head. He dragged himself back to the chicken coop, nearly spilling the water with his staggering movements. From behind, a questioning grunt asked him if he was okay.

“Yeah, I just wish there was a breeze. Feels like summer.”

To make things even better, a shitstorm was about to happen. He put the water dish in a safe spot on the grass, and Jason handed him the garbage bag. Musty hay, stinky shit, and feathers were swept into it with Jason's slow strokes. The chickens were friendly, provided fresh eggs almost daily, ate bugs, and caught the occasional mouse when they were allowed to roam freely, but they sure made a mess.

When the floor of the coop was finally clear of debris, Chad tied the ends of the bag in a loose knot and tossed it to the vegetable garden. The weeding could be done later, but in the meantime, he didn’t want to deal with maggots. He wiped the back of his hand against his forehead and sighed at the enormity of the tasks left to do. Baking, more yard work, changing the locks, investigating the tower, getting ready for his counselor work tomorrow, and maybe introducing a few more chickens to the family so the two girls would have others to socialize with.

“Well, let’s get the rest of the hay from the—”

Jason shook his head and raised the hand that wasn’t holding the nasty brush. In less than a minute, he was back with the almost empty bag, having left the brush at the faucet. His hand hovered inside the bag, reluctant to get his new gloves scratched by the hay. He ended up shaking it into the nesting compartments and on the floor.

“You’re still smart too. My smart and cute boy.”

As he crumpled the bag, he tried to act nonchalant about the praise, but his chest still puffed out a bit. He walked past the enclosure to the garden and squatted to untie the knot on the shit bag. The empty hay bag went inside, the knot was retied, and he stood up. He pointed at the kitchen window. Was it time to bake the cake?

“Yeah, we don’t have to worry about weeding today. Let’s just relax.”

Chad dragged himself back to the house and entered the welcoming coolness. With one less ghost, there was only one air conditioner instead of two, but this was still miles better than being outside. Jason closed the door and followed him to the sink, where Chad washed his hands thoroughly. Time to start baking.

Pamela’s ancient recipe book, yellowed with age, was waiting on the counter. It hadn’t been there earlier. Chad skipped to the vanilla cake recipe, which had a folded page corner. There would be no cake mix full of chemicals and icing with trans fat for this birthday boy. Each ingredient was recited to Jason, with a few seconds of waiting in between so he could bring them to the counter.

“White sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cake flour, baking powder, salt, milk, two eggs, margarine. We’ll also need wax paper, three mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, and a nine-by-nine-inch pan.” After Jason had assembled everything, Chad gave him a thumbs up. “You can do the measuring and mixing. First we need a cup of white sugar and half a cup of margarine.”

Jason grabbed the bag of sugar and slowly poured it into the measuring cup while Chad preheated the oven to three-fifty. When the cup was full, Chad poured the sugar into the bowl. Then came the margarine, which Jason scooped with a measuring spoon. He flattened the top, ensuring the amount was correct, and scooped it back out.

“Great job.” Chad handed him a wooden spoon from the utensil holder. “Now cream them together until the mixture is fluffy.”

The margarine was softer than butter, and with Jason’s whipping power, it took him under a minute to achieve a perfect texture. He must’ve helped Pamela with baking as a kid.

“Crack one egg into a bowl, beat it, and do the same with the other egg. Then add two teaspoons of vanilla and stir it.”

Using a piece of wax paper, Chad greased the pan with margarine and then sprinkled cake flour over it. By the time he was finished, Jason was done with the eggs and vanilla.

“In another bowl, combine one and a half cups of cake flour... one and three-quarter teaspoons of baking powder... then add them to the mixture.”

While Jason mixed everything together, Chad measured a three-quarter cup of milk and slowly added it. That was the last ingredient for the cake mix. Once the batter was smooth, Jason poured it into the pan, scraping every last drop with the wooden spoon. Chad opened the oven, turning his face away from the blast of heat, and Jason placed the pan onto the middle rack.

“It’ll be ready in about forty minutes. Now we just have to make the icing.”

Jason tossed the dirty spoon into the sink and grabbed another, mindful of contamination from the eggs. He really was a smart boy.

“Half a cup of margarine, two cups of powdered sugar, a dash of salt, one tablespoon of milk, and one teaspoon of vanilla. Mix the margarine with the sugar and salt, then add the milk and vanilla.”

He was doing most of the work himself, but he seemed to enjoy it, hand moving in a blur as he mixed the ingredients. With him around, there was no need for an electric mixer. He took the icing-covered spoon out of the bowl and eyed it, looking like he wanted to have a lick, then offered it to Chad.

“I have to brush my teeth.” Chad wagged a finger. “And come to think of it, you do too. We should cover the icing with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge.”

Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Jason scraped the front and back of the spoon on the edge of the bowl. His mask was unable to hide his smile. Like always, the twinkling eye gave him away. But the twinkle disappeared as he looked at Chad’s lips, and his eye flicked back to the icing. His thoughts were as clear as day. Why lick the spoon when he could lick something else? And if that’s what he wanted, Chad wasn’t about to deny him. His heart fluttered in anticipation.

Then Jason tossed this spoon into the sink too, and it was Chad’s turn to sigh. He put the other dirty stuff in there while Jason stored the leftover ingredients. This truly was torture. At Packanack, it had taken Jason only a few hours to show his face, but here it would probably take longer. His reflection in the mirror must’ve been terrifying to him, and the upcoming brushing of teeth would be another one of these shy moments.

Except for Jason’s old clothes, the kitchen was tidied up in no time with teamwork. Chad collected the book, birthday card, frames, and socks, clutching them to his chest. “I’ll bring your stuff to the bedroom.”

With the gift bag in hand, Jason followed him to the staircase, grabbing the box from Sabrina on the way. Chad ascended the stairs slowly, each step causing his silk shirts to cling to his best asset. He didn’t need to glance over his shoulder to know where Jason was looking. It was only a matter of time before Jason couldn’t take the teasing anymore. Tonight or maybe sooner, his mysterious cock would be revealed.

Continuing his slow pace, Chad strolled down the hallway until he reached the bedroom. He put the package of socks into a top drawer he’d kept empty for Jason. Sadly, the embarrassing clothes were still stored in the dresser, including the maid outfit. Chad hadn’t thrown them away for fear of offending Jason, but it was on the to-do list. He’d gotten ridden of the expired lube and massage oils however, so there was plenty of space on the nightstand for the book, card, and frames. That’s also where the teddy bear and photo were located, as they’d been moved from the middle of the dresser.

Chad stood the card and one of the frames on either side of the bear, placed the book beside _It was a Dark and Stormy Night_, and slid the photo inside the other frame. Before he could set it down, a gloved hand extended from behind, making him jump. Evidently Jason hadn’t lost his stalking ability. Chad turned around and handed him the framed photo.

“Do you want to put it somewhere else?”

Jason nodded and lowered the gift bag and box onto the floor. He motioned for Chad to follow him to his old bedroom, which had a closed door. This time he didn’t have to shove it open, and the dust was minimal. Like the rest of the house, this bedroom had been kept clean by Chad during the five years and then by Pamela after her ghostly reveal. The crayon drawing was still on the desk, depicting two boys standing in front of a colorful sunset over the lake, and so was the birthday card with the cartoon cat. Jason placed the photo beside the card and then grabbed the drawing, making his intentions clear without words. This room was for the past and the other was for the present and future.

He returned to the master bedroom and stood in the middle, gripping the sides of the drawing as he looked for the perfect spot. Chad remained silent beside him, smiling at how much thought Jason was putting into it. Finally Jason’s eye focused on the wall behind the pillows. The shrimp always slept on the left side and the giant slept on the right. The same positioning as the two boys he’d drawn. He walked to the nightstand, which was on the left, and laid the drawing across the books. This would be a temporary spot until tape or pushpins were found.

“I think we have some in a kitchen drawer. We should check on the cake while we’re there.”

The delicious scent of cake wafted from downstairs, urging Chad’s feet forward as he abandoned his prior teasing. This kitchen didn’t have the wide array of tools the diner had, so it wouldn’t be the most extravagant cake, but Jason wouldn’t complain. He never did and plus he’d put his heart into making it. That would make up for any taste discrepancies between this cake and the ones Pamela used to bake for him. From Chad’s experience, the same recipe could result in drastic differences. Those nasty chocolate chip cookies at the diner were an example. No matter what the cooks did, they couldn’t replicate perfection.

He donned an oven mitt before opening the door. The cake was golden, but he stuck a toothpick in the middle to be sure. Batter wasn’t sticking to it, so he pulled the pan out of the oven and set it on top of the stove. In another forty minutes, the cake would be cool enough to spread icing over it. He closed the oven door and hung the mitt from the handle. Jason stood beside him and leaned down, sniffing the result.

“We have more waiting to do. Let’s get the drawing hung up and then maybe we can take a look at your new book.”

Jason nodded his agreement. He dug through four drawers beside the sink, finding silverware, Pamela’s knife collection, more knives, and linens. The drawers on the other side were devoted to random stuff that had been placed there to get it out of the way. He found the tape and pushpins in the top drawer, opting for the tape.

“I’ll meet you upstairs. I’m gonna have a drink first. Do you need one?”

He shook his head and closed the drawer. Like hunger, thirst was something he probably didn’t feel either. Was his heart even beating, or was magic the only thing keeping him alive? His chest moved with each breath, so his lungs were functioning. But that knowledge didn’t offer much comfort as he began to walk away. What if the magic ran out one day? Maybe he was destined to guard Crystal Lake forever.

Forever was a long time. Far longer than the average human lifespan. Before the tears could spring to Chad’s eyes, he busied himself with filling a glass of tap water. It was tasteless, lacking the brown color and rotten egg scent it used to have, and the coldness made him perk up. He rinsed the other dishes, his cleanliness not allowing him to let them fester in the heat, then left the kitchen.

Water was running from the upstairs bathroom. Jason had to be brushing his teeth, so Chad used the one near the staircase, remembering his own need. He took his time, cleaning every speck of french toast, while also giving Jason the opportunity for privacy. A few swipes of deodorant were added to each underarm. When the water stopped running, Chad climbed the stairs and followed the creaks that came from the bedroom.

Jason was in bed, legs extended with the sign language book on his lap. His feet were covered by the new socks he’d received. Above his head was the drawing, each corner taped. With the addition of the bright sunlight, this bedroom was looking even more cheerful. Chad smiled and slipped his sneakers off beside the bed, then joined him against the propped pillows.

The first two pages depicted the letters of the alphabet and their corresponding signs. Jason looked at the pictures closely, spending a few seconds on each one. He took his right glove off and tried the letter _C_, which was signed exactly how it was shaped. The letter _H_ was the index and middle finger pointed to the left, _A_ was a fist with the thumb pressing against the side of the hand, and _D_ was the index finger pointing up with the other fingers shaped into a circle.

“Great job, Jason. You're learning so fast.”

He made another heart shape and Chad almost became a pile of mush on the bed. The deadliest man in the world was also the cutest. Jason went through the whole alphabet multiple times until he could sign the letters with only the occasional glance at the book. Chad, on the other hand, had an easier time remembering the letters that looked similar to how they were spelled. Thankfully this applied to most of them, so enough practice would take care of the rest.

Jason flipped a few pages, skipping wordy sections that didn’t interest him. He stopped to read a paragraph that discussed the English language articles of _a_,_ an_, and_ the_. These weren’t used in sign language, and neither were certain verbs such as _am_, _is_, _are_, and _would_. He scratched his head at this part, so Chad took it as a sign that it was time to take a break.

“The cake should be cool enough. Let’s head back downstairs.”

Jason put the book aside and spelled a word. _Yes_. As a reward for his effort to learn, Chad gave him a peck on the mouth of his mask, one hand resting lightly on his bulge. It was enough to cause a stir of activity, and Jason scrambled off the bed. In seconds, his glove and boots were on and he was striding out of the bedroom. The poor boy was so afraid of getting hard that he didn’t even want the slightest of contact down there. Was his cock really that bad? Chad’s curiosity wouldn’t be sated until he saw it for himself, and there was still a long way to go. It was only 9:15am.

He sighed and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Patience was easier said than done, especially after having spent eight months relying on masturbation in the shower. He would bet his entire mountains of money on the cock problem being minimal. Hell, even if the worms had feasted on it, that wouldn’t affect his interest in getting fucked. At least there would be interesting texture.

Oh well. Time would fly when having fun. Chad slipped his feet into his sneakers and dragged his horny ass downstairs. The cake was already covered in icing and plastic wrap. Jason was seated, facing the kitchen doorway and staring at the table, and he didn’t react when Chad sat across from him.

“Jason?”

He looked up and slowly signed a word. _Tommy._

“What about him?”

_Go._

“Go to... the jail?”

Jason nodded. _Escape. Kill._

“You want him to escape so you can kill him?”

Another nod. It made sense why Jason didn’t want Tommy to get driven to the mental hospital by Mike. That would make it harder to reach him and would likely result in a bloodbath.

“Uh... well. I could try talking to Mike again.”

Jason stood up and strode upstairs, his footsteps stomping overhead. He returned with Chad’s wallet and keyring from his raincoat, and Chad pocketed them without complaint. The birthday boy could have anything he wanted, though dealing with that asshole sheriff would be a treat.

“Can you still morph?”

Jason’s disappearance provided the answer. For him to abandon the enjoyment of his birthday, Tommy had to be bugging him pretty bad. Then again, killing Tommy would probably be the best present of all.

Chad shrugged and left the house as well, locking the door behind him. He was beyond the point of caring. Tommy was a thorn in Jason’s side, unable to be removed through methods other than death. Sure, he’d played a huge role in the resurrection, but anyone could’ve used the pole as a lightning rod for energy. With Chad’s brains, he would’ve had the same idea eventually.

And here he was with yet another great idea, speeding his way to the douchebag den. How could he convince Mike to release Tommy instead of bringing him back to the Unger Institute? Maybe by talking Mike into visiting the cemetery. Or just take the simplest route by letting Jason intercept the car, but that would put him at risk of getting shot. What a lovely birthday present that would be. Not happening of course. The prince was going to try charming his way into a positive resolution to this problem.

He parked in front of the sheriff’s department and exited the cool confines of his car. In addition to a dark orange Chevrolet Camaro, Tommy’s stolen truck was ahead. He could’ve been driven back already and now Mike was trying to track down the owner, but Chad needed to go inside to be sure. He took a deep breath as he opened the door, preparing to be chewed out for bringing up the Jason topic again.

Luckily the lobby was empty, and he was free to go down the hallway to Room 101. The door was open. Mike was sitting at his desk, surrounded by four counselors: Megan the flirtatious blonde, Sissy the humorous, Paula the nervous, and Cort the ridiculous guy with torn clothes and eyeliner. Naturally the three girls checked out the prince as he approached them. Why would they be here when there was a lot of stuff to prepare at the camp? Maybe something had happened to the head counselors after all.

“How are the preparations going?”

Megan smiled at him. “Great. We were just getting ready to go there. Figured we’d pay Mr. Grumpypants a visit first.”

Mike, who happened to be her father, sighed. “Megan, I have a lot of things to do this morning, starting with that nutjob over there.”

“What’s the deal with him anyway?” Megan asked, causing Mike to pause with the phone in his hand.

Before Mike could respond, Tommy did it for him, standing at the cell door and gripping the bars. “I got a bad feeling about today. With Jason out there—”

“Shut up.”

“Jason who?” Megan gave another smile, this time directed at Tommy as she strolled to his cell.

Mike slammed the phone into its holder and stood up from his chair. “Megan, stay away from him. He’s dangerous.” His warning was only acknowledged with a sideways glance.

“I’m not dangerous,” Tommy said softly to her. “Jason’s out there. He’s looking for me and maybe Chad too.” As Tommy said this, Mike strode towards the cell. “He’s probably headed back to the camp.”

“I told you to shut up!”

“You mean the Jason of Camp Blood?” Sissy asked.

“Yes,” Tommy replied.

“No,” Mike countered, glancing back at Sissy. “You kids better leave. This boy isn’t right in the head and he needs treatment.” Mike gripped one of Megan’s shoulders and turned her around, then gripped her other shoulder and started ushering her towards the group.

“Come on, Dad, we’re just—”

“Megan. Take your friends back to the camp. The kids are arriving tomorrow.”

Mike released her shoulders and she turned to him with an amused smile. She adjusted his shirt collar so both sides were even.

“Don’t beat him up too bad, Dad.” Her gaze flicked to Tommy, giving him a once-over, and he didn’t return her obvious interest. “He’s kinda cute.”

“Megan, _leave_.”

Her smile didn’t leave as she shrugged a shoulder and headed for the doorway with her friends. “See you tomorrow, Chad.”

“Woooo, he’s cute!” Paula echoed, giggling with Megan and Sissy.

They gave Chad a wave on the way out, their merriment continuing down the hallway with Cort in the lead. The door swung closed by itself, muffling the sounds. Chad stayed, earning himself a glare from Mike.

Mike stepped to Tommy’s cell and leaned close to him. “I was gonna call that clinic and have them collect your ass, but I don’t want you around here any longer, poisoning my daughter or anyone else with your warped sense of humor. This prank ends now.”

“They had to be warned, Sheriff.”

Mike strode towards the gun cabinet beside his desk, giving Chad a look that said, _Why are you still here?_

“Jason will return to the area that’s familiar,” Tommy continued. “No matter what you call it, it’s still Camp Crystal Lake to him.”

Mike unlocked the cabinet and paused with his fingers gripping the knob. “We’re gonna escort you to the edge of my jurisdiction.”

Tommy rolled his eyes and looked away in disbelief. He should be thankful for getting a second chance. By the sounds of it, Mike was going to drop him off somewhere. He grabbed his shotgun and raised his eyebrows at Tommy.

“Then we will say goodbye and we’ll never see you around here again. Do we understand each other?”

Tommy gave the cell door a forceful rattle and then started pacing, hands running through his hair. Well, it didn’t seem like Chad’s involvement was even necessary. But he had to maintain this facade of being concerned about Tommy’s welfare, so he spoke up.

“Sheriff, I think you should at least check out the grave. You’ll find Hawes’ body inside the coffin. I saw him fall after the thing climbed—”

“Right...” Mike ambled to the middle of the office, gripping his shotgun in both hands. “The something that was tall and rotting. When was the last time you went for a mental health assessment, kid?”

Chad crossed his arms and glared at him. “I’m not crazy. Imagine how his parents would feel if they didn’t know where—”

“Don’t play the bullshit pity card for your warped fantasies.”

Chad opened his mouth, but was stopped by a jerk of the shotgun.

“And don’t think, for a second, that you’re immune to the law because your dad’s a cop. I can lock you up just as easily.”

Tommy rattled the door again and growled in frustration. “Why didn’t you people cremate Jason? We wouldn’t be having this discussion if—”

“Because some asshole donated a lot of money to bury him! End of discussion.” Mike jerked his head back to Chad. “You, I want you out of here. I got better things to do than play babysitter for two maniacs.”

Chad uncrossed his arms and spun on his heels. He yanked the door open and stormed into the hallway, arms swinging. In reality, he was grateful to get away from that douchebag of a sheriff, and he sighed in relief when he was back outside. Crazy? Yeah, he’d acknowledged his craziness at Packanack after falling in love with a murderer, but it was different to be treated like a lunatic. Now he’d had a taste of what Tommy had gone through. Chad had treated him the same way in hopes of getting rid of the Jason obsession.

He smiled as he unlocked the driver’s door and entered. It was strange how things had turned out. If Tommy had abandoned his obsession, Jason wouldn’t have been resurrected on his birthday. The adventure at Pinehurst had played a huge role in strengthening that obsession. It was like everything happened for a reason. But if Jason’s destiny was to get chained to the bottom of the lake or some other crap, Chad would fight that destiny with everything he had.

For starters, it was time to enter snoop mode. The door to the sheriff’s department opened and out came Tommy, followed by Mike with his shotgun and Rick. Surprisingly, Tommy wasn’t cuffed. The key in his hand was even more surprising. He got into the truck, started it, and waited until Mike and Rick had done the same with the cruiser that was parked beside the building. Together they drove off, Tommy in the lead. The stupidity of this town’s law enforcement never ceased to amaze.

Chad tailed them from a distance, but his bright white convertible was hardly inconspicuous. They left the town core, traveling through the heavily-forested outskirts until they reached a four-way intersection. A sign with _Eternal Peace Cemetery, 1 Mile_ pointed to the left, and of course Tommy took the chance. His tires squealed on the pavement as he veered onto the dirt road, sending brown clouds into the air, and sirens came after him. Mike and Rick were focused on catching the runaway truck, so Chad took the opportunity to get closer. Once they saw Hawes’ body, there would be no more accusations of being crazy.

The three vehicles passed through the pillared entrance and took another left turn towards Jason’s grave. Tommy skidded to a stop halfway down and Mike did the same, angling the cruiser in front to intercept. They burst out and chased him to a narrow path between the fences. Tommy was running so fast that he slipped and fell on his side, but he quickly recovered before they could reach him. Rick entered the path and Mike broke off from the pursuit, heading along the fence. Chad was more graceful, choosing to close the driver’s door and walk instead of scrambling around like a monkey with flailing arms.

Tommy was able to outrun the chubby Rick through the maze, but he couldn’t do anything against the Mike that barreled into him from the side. With a startled yell, Tommy landed face first. Mike straddled him and wrenched his hands behind his back to cuff him. Rick had caught up, standing beside them.

“Sheriff! Sheriff, wait! You gotta listen to me!”

Mike’s face was beet red and a vein was bulging near his temple. “I’m tired of listening to you, kid!”

“I gotta... I gotta show you Jason’s grave!”

“I’ve seen it! Come on, get up!” Mike gripped Tommy’s upper arm and started hauling him to his feet. “Get up!”

“Please, Sheriff...” Tommy turned his head to look at him. “You’ll see we dug it up.”

“Well... he must’ve gotten chilly in the night and pulled the dirt back over him!”

Mike gestured to the flat ground in front of the angel tombstone. The grave had clearly been unearthed recently, as the grass around it was green instead of brown, but he overlooked that fact.

“That’s not right. Somebody covered it over. I gotta see it!” Tommy tried to wrench himself free, but Mike’s grip held strong.

Rick pulled a Magnum out of his holster and pointed it at Tommy’s forehead, making a red dot appear on the middle. “Freeze it, psycho!”

Mike released Tommy’s arm. “Now see what you’ve done. You made my deputy draw his revolver. He’s been _dying_ to try his mail-order laser scope.”

“Wherever the red dot goes, y’bang.”

Standing a few meters away from them, Chad rolled his eyes at Rick’s corniness. Tommy wasn’t fazed by the gun pointed at him, merely fixing Rick with an intense stare.

“What’s the problem, Sheriff?” Martin asked, appearing out of nowhere. He was the groundskeeper, so he must’ve been the person who’d covered the grave. Rick quickly holstered his gun as if he didn’t want to be caught pointing it at Tommy for a matter this trivial.

“No problem, Martin,” Mike said, stepping towards him with a raised hand. “Just a vagrant kid. We got it under control.”

Rick pulled Tommy to Mike’s other side, treating him like a piece of meat, and Chad clenched his jaw to prevent himself from saying something he might regret. These assholes were using too much force for a guy who wasn’t even half their age.

“Did you cover up Jason’s grave?!” Tommy asked Martin, both arms now gripped by Rick and Mike as they tried to contain him.

“What? What are you talking about!”

They started dragging Tommy towards the path and finally noticed Chad standing beside the entrance. Another withering look was given by Mike, who then looked back at Martin.

“Don’t concern yourself, Martin. This kid needs treatment.”

“Jason’s not in his grave, Hawes is! Dig it up! You gotta dig it up! You gotta dig it up!”

Chad nodded as the three of them passed. “It’s true. You guys just need to look inside the coffin and you’ll—”

“One more word and I’ll have you arrested for obstruction of justice,” Mike warned, glancing over his shoulder.

Martin turned away from them and took a swig of whiskey. He let out a relieved groan and screwed the cap back on. “Dig him up...” He chuckled. “You guys think I’m a farthead? I’m not going near that slimy sucker.”

He pocketed the bottle and continued muttering to himself as he staggered to a tiny cabin nearby. Chad was left alone, head pounding. Coming here had been completely pointless. Tommy was being shoved into the back of the cruiser, restrained once again, and Rick was going to drive the truck somewhere. Or maybe it hadn’t been that pointless. Now they would be even more eager to get rid of Tommy after that stunt he’d pulled, and it would work in Jason’s favor if they dropped Tommy off on the outskirts of town like Mike had originally planned. Even better if Tommy called the house and provided a meeting location.

Whatever happened. Chad sure as hell wouldn’t be watching it. Tommy would get the most gruesome death of all. Jason wouldn’t have needed to get resurrected if he hadn’t been killed in the first place. And speaking of him, it was time to go home and continue his birthday celebrations. Chad jogged to his car, hopped inside, and drove off, putting all of his focus into getting there fast.

A plastered hockey mask wasn’t waiting for him at the window beside the front door. The giant was already in the doorway, holding a garbage bag, two brooms with dustpans attached, and a massive extendable ladder that was bigger than the one in the shed. Chad raised an eyebrow as he exited his car, not bothering to lock the door.

“What are those for?”

Jason pointed at the tower on the right side of the house. It was unexplored because of his warning about spiders. Just thinking about them made Chad scratch his arms.

“Are you sure you wanna be doing that on your birthday?”

He nodded and pointed at the sun next. When it rose and set, the tower would provide a nice view.

Chad took a deep breath and exhaled shakily. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

The front door closed by itself as Jason led the way towards the wooden door at the bottom of the tower. The backyard had been rejuvenated, but the front still needed a lot of work. There was only dirt and a few sparse bushes that grew along the house. Chad’s clean shoes were caked with brown by the time he reached the door. The knob was rusty, but Jason opened it without effort.

Fearlessly, Jason entered the dim tower, which had a single small window halfway up. Chad stood outside the doorway, his skin prickling as he peered at the hundreds of spiders and their thick webs. In some spots, the webs were so thick that they hid the stone walls behind them. The scariest things were the black widows.

“Be careful of the black spiders with red markings. They’re poisonous.”

This was impossible. Everything would scatter as soon as Jason touched the webs with the broom, and his new boots were going to get ruined with spider guts. Wait... the smart boy was wearing his old ones for stomping. He lowered the ladder and garbage bag to the concrete floor, leaving two brooms to dual wield.

Chad wished he had the courage to go inside, but he couldn’t risk having spiders drop on his head or seek him out for disturbing their home. And besides, Jason had this covered. His powerful broom strikes and boot stomps left no survivors as he targeted the webs near the floor. He moved in a circle, starting from the right of the doorway, and Chad acted as the gatekeeper by ensuring that none could find sanctuary outside.

Once Jason had completed the circle, he started the next layer that extended from his midsection to above his head. He used downward strokes, forcing the cascades of spiders onto the floor and then using both brooms and boots. Four weapons total that didn’t show mercy, creating a lake of black and brown guts among the destroyed webs. It must’ve been awful to awaken in the disgusting coffin, and so he wrought vengeance upon everything he could find.

It was going to get difficult from here. The higher areas required a ladder that would need to be repositioned constantly, and if he was on the ladder, that meant no stomping unless he jumped down after every strike. A partner would certainly be helpful, or better yet, a partner with a flamethrower and hazmat suit. Neither of those things were available, so Chad mustered his courage and stepped inside the spiders’ lair. He had to take his balls out of his pocket and put them back on. But he was wearing shorts. What if the spiders skittered up his legs? That was a risk worth taking. Jason shouldn’t be doing this alone.

Chad accepted one of the brooms, cringing at the webs and squished spider bodies stuck to the bristles. The other broom was dropped so Jason could grab the ladder and extend it as far as he could. He ensured the locking mechanisms were in place, then angled it against the wall beside the doorway, causing a big web to sink inward. The height had to be at least twenty feet. Even though the ladder had rubber pads to help it stay secure on the floor, it didn’t seem safe. Because of the tower's circular shape, the top of the ladder didn’t have a flat wall to rest on. If Jason fell onto the concrete, he could break every bone in his body.

“What if we demolish this and build another tower? We have plenty of money.”

Jason shook his head. He wanted this one. An image flashed through Chad’s mind, depicting Pamela and Jason sitting on a bench at the top as they admired the backyard. He shivered and glanced around, but nobody else was nearby.

“Just be careful.”

Jason slowly ascended the ladder until he was eight feet high. He extended an arm beside him, keeping his other hand on a rung, and Chad gave him the broom off the floor. More spiders fell as Jason slid the broom between the wall and ladder, smashing what he could and leaving the rest for Chad. There were egg sacs attached to the webs, requiring extra care when hordes of baby spiders skittered out of the destroyed remains. Their tiny size made them difficult to spot on the walls, and Chad had to pitch in to get them all. He cursed himself for not simply calling Sabrina and getting her men to treat the tower with chemicals.

When Jason had finished clearing these out, he climbed higher and repeated the process. It became increasingly harder to help him, as some of the spiders responded by skittering up or sideways instead of down, and Chad had to take care to avoid having the dead ones land in his hair. Curled-up bodies littered the floor, adding to the difficulty of spotting the survivors, and he had to resort to random smashes with the broom. It made his stomach churn just to watch Jason ascend more rungs until he was at the very top. Not wanting to distract him, Chad kept his mouth shut and his eyes focused on any signs of movement.

At last, there were no more webs in this section. Jason climbed down and repositioned the ladder several feet away, then climbed back up. Again and again until Chad’s arms were aching, but Jason showed no indications of tiredness when he’d finally completed the circle. The end of his broom was so full of webs that it looked like a cotton ball, and the winding staircase was the only place without spider bodies.

Jason started sweeping everything into a massive pile near the doorway. Pushing past the stiffness, Chad helped him, grateful for his empty stomach. He wasn’t wearing his watch, but it felt like he’d been in this tower for hours. It had to be lunch by now and he had no idea what to make with the limited groceries. Maybe a salad with some spider protein. He paused and pressed the back of his hand against his mouth, fighting the urge to gag. Jason reached for the broom, telling him to take a breather outside, but Chad shook his head. Just a little bit more and he could get out of this hellhole.

With combined efforts, the only thing left to do was scoop the spiders into the garbage bag. Jason detached the dustpan from his broom and scooped them while Chad held it open, squatting beside him. Whenever Jason did something, he did it thoroughly. Even with one eye, he had excellent vision, and there were no spiders crawling anywhere. A few babies might’ve escaped through the cracks in the stone, but that could be taken care of easily with insecticide. Another thing to add to the shopping list. Chad tied the bag and stood up with a groan. It wasn’t heavy by any means, but this had been one of the biggest workouts he’d had in a while.

“I’ll put this bag inside the other one by the garden.”

Jason pointed at the two brooms. He would wash them off.

“Sounds good.”

It sounded great actually. Of course the good boy had offered to do the nastiest job. Chad smiled at him before walking out to the fresh air. The metal stairs still had to be fixed, but that was a worry for another day. He untied the knot on the other bag, shoved the nasty spiders inside, and re-tied it. Jason was already at the faucet with the brooms and dustpans. Those things had seen a lot of action, starting with the rats in the basement. Thankfully there hadn’t been any since the worker crew had torn the walls out to replace the pipes.

Chad joined Jason at the faucet and shook his head at the mess. The water was just making the webs cling to the bristles even more. These brooms were done for. “I’ll buy new ones. Don’t worry about it.”

Jason’s response was to stand up and grab a pair of garden shears from the shed. With a few careful snips, he cut the webs away, allowing him to reach the spider guts between the bristles. He used the dustpan to scrape everything off and avoid soiling his gloves. The other broom didn’t have any webs, so the guts only required patience to wash them away.

“A few hours in the sun should dry them off.”

Jason turned the faucet off, attached the dustpans to the brooms, and tossed them to the middle of the yard. He looked at Chad for further instructions.

“It should be time for—”

The phone rang from upstairs. Chad just stood there, staring into Jason’s eye until he pointed at the open bedroom window. Clarification wasn’t needed. _Answer the phone._

Chad whipped the door open, bounded up the stairs, and jogged to the bedroom. All he wanted was a peaceful life with Jason and maybe some murder if necessary. In order for that to happen, Tommy needed to die. There was no way around it. Even if he rotted in a padded cell for the rest of his life, Jason would be bugged by the simple fact that Tommy was still existing. This phone call could be the key to delivering Jason straight to him.

“Hello?”

“They escorted me to the outskirts of town. Garris said if I ever came back, I'd be wearing my balls for earrings.”

“Let me guess. You came back. Are your balls still where they should be?"

“I can’t let Jason destroy more lives than he already has. And yeah, they're still here."

“How exactly do you plan to do that? We saw what he’s capable of.”

“Can you just come to my house? We can talk in person.”

“The people at the clinic will be looking for you. That’s the first place they’ll check.”

“Then I’ll hide the truck and we can talk in one of the cabins. Please. You’re the only person who believes me. We’ll figure something out.”

Chad let out a fake sigh. “Fine. But I still think you should go somewhere far away.”

Tommy hung up on him and Chad put the phone in its charger, rolling his eyes. Stubborn as always. He turned to the sneaky giant beside him.

“What should we do?”

Jason pointed in the direction of the car and then disappeared. It was an odd decision to morph by himself. If he was going to kill Tommy right away, there was no reason to use the car, but Chad didn’t stick around to question it. He jogged downstairs and ensured the back and front doors were locked before driving off.

No vehicles were parked outside the Jarvis House. Tommy had apparently taken the truck advice to heart by parking it somewhere else. Instead of doing the same with his car, Chad parked alongside the house. He didn’t want to turn into a lobster by walking from one side of the map to the other. And if any staff from the loony bin came here, he could just use the excuse that he was seeing if Trish had heard from her brother.

Tommy was waiting at the kitchen window attached to the porch, anxiously scanning the surroundings as Chad ascended the steps. All of the windows were closed. After confirming the area was clear of angry giants, Tommy unlocked the door and opened it just enough for Chad to squeeze through. Two ham and cheese sandwiches and glasses of water were on the table, accompanied by a whining Gordon.

“Don’t worry, I washed my hands before making them.”

Tommy locked the door, standing inches away. Minus the blue jacket, he was wearing the same clothes he’d worn last night. A blue button-down shirt, an open plaid shirt over it, and jeans with suspenders. But he smelled like roses and his hair was damp. He must’ve used Trish’s shower gel.

“She got rid of most of my stuff. Can you believe it? She has no hope for me.”

Chad didn’t answer, not knowing how to. He followed Tommy to the kitchen table and sat across from him. Trish couldn’t be blamed for losing hope in her brother. He’d been transferred to more than five mental hospitals between the ages of twelve and seventeen and he’d made no improvements during that period. Pinehurst had offered a slight change thanks to Chad’s involvement, but then everything had gone to hell like it always did.

“Did you hear about the barn?” Tommy asked, arms resting on either side of his saucer plate. “I drove past it.” His eyes lacked the fanatical intensity they usually had. Instead, they were almost wistful. He hadn’t looked at Megan that way.

“Yeah, it burned down.”

After the evidence had gone missing at the police department, the cops had revisited the barn to collect more. It had also disappeared. Then a mischievous ghost or a dad covering his tracks had started a fire, resulting in the entire barn getting burned to a crisp. This had likely played a role in Roy being able to return to work. His blood evidence and fingerprints were gone.

“I guess they never caught the guy. They didn't let us read newspapers in the clinic.”

Tommy’s gaze flicked to his plate. He grabbed his sandwich and took a bite. Like Hawes, he was probably going to be dead soon, so Chad decided to indulge in his own sandwich to make Tommy’s day a bit brighter. It certainly wasn’t as good as the ones Chad made. The ham was too salty, the cheese was butchered into random shapes, there was no margarine on the bread, and he always used whole wheat instead of white. But it wasn’t barf-worthy either. He ignored the whining dog in favor of eating the whole thing himself, finishing off with a long swig of water.

“Thanks for the sandwich.”

“No problem.”

The simple praise made Tommy’s eyes light up, and he gave a half-smile. Chad was forced to admit that he wasn’t bad looking. Not nearly as handsome as Jason, but a guy like Tommy would have no problems finding someone who was interested in him.

“Are you... are you still with Joshua?”

Joshua? Oh yeah, the boyfriend who didn’t exist. Chad nodded.

“That’s good.”

The light left Tommy’s eyes just as quickly. He gathered the four dishes, brought them to the sink, and started to wash them. The Greek god had probably occupied his mind for those eight months. Chad hadn’t expected anything different, but he’d hoped for it.

“Megan seemed interested in you.”

Tommy shrugged as he dried the dishes with a tea towel. “She also seemed interested in you.” He put the dishes away, hung the towel up, and returned to the table. “But enough about that. We need to figure out how to stop Jason.”

Gordon had gone silent, lying down with his head between his paws, and Chad idly gave his back a few scratches. The stinky mutt rolled over to show his belly. He scratched that too, stalling for time. Tommy’s gaze didn’t leave him for a second, following every move as Chad straightened his back.

“I don’t know what to do, Tommy.”

“See you tomorrow... what did Megan mean?”

“I’ll be working as a camp counselor.”

Tommy’s jaw dropped. “_What?_ No. You can’t. Jason might come after you too. We have to warn them. We have to—”

“Whatever that thing is, we don’t know what it plans to do. There’s gonna be little kids at the camp. In the past few years, when was a kid ever murdered?”

“At least call me on the radio if Jason shows up. I found one in a cabin. In the meantime, I’ll see if I can find more information about how to kill him.”

“Deal.” Chad stood up, eager to get away from this house before Tommy turned into a pile of bloody mush. “Well, thanks again for the—”

“Wait. I didn’t call you here just for that.” Tommy opened and closed his mouth a few times. “It’s, uh... it’s been a while since I’ve seen you. Last time was at the hospital.”

“Whatever you’re thinking, it’s not a good idea.”

Just like at the hospital, Chad left without a goodbye, ignoring the disappointed face that followed him from window to window. As he drove away, he listened for a scream, but it didn’t come. Trish would be in for a surprise when she came back, and she probably wouldn’t be too happy about it. She had a new life now, one that didn’t involve her obsessive brother. If Tommy was smart, he would leave no indication that he’d been here. He would use Jason’s mercy to his advantage by taking what he could and then disappearing. But no, he had to be the hero.

The biggest question was why Jason was waiting to kill him. There had been a perfect opportunity to do it in secret and display the body in a gruesome way to traumatize Trish. Maybe Jason wanted to do something spectacular tomorrow so the foolish townspeople would never reopen the camp again. Whatever it was, Chad couldn’t wait to get home and spend more time with him before then. There was still a ton of catching up to do, and hopefully Jason could clear his mind enough to enjoy the rest of his birthday.

No plastered mask, no giant in the doorway, but Chad didn’t let the hope leave him as he exited his car. He unlocked the front door and entered the house, listening closely for any sounds. Dishes were clinking. Jason could be washing them, wanting to surprise with a clean kitchen. Chad walked there leisurely, admiring the nature paintings that lined the walls of the hallway. His slowness served another purpose of allowing his adorable husband to finish what he was doing.

Jason's old clothes were missing from the clean floor. Two turkey breast and cheese sandwiches were on the table, cut into halves with the bonus of Romaine lettuce and margarine, and a few barbecue chips were tucked on each saucer plate. They were joined by two glasses of water. Chad washed the stinky dog off his hands and then grinned as he sat across from the jealous Jason. More food wasn’t what he’d hoped for, but his stomach could handle it.

“This looks amazing.”

Jason watched him take a bite. The bread had a light amount of margarine, the lettuce was crisp, the turkey breast wasn’t too salty, and the two cheese slices had the same shape and thickness. This good boy had succeeded in crafting the perfect sandwich without the added flavor of rotting flesh. A pair of disposable gloves were on the counter.

“It’s much better than the nasty sandwich I ate earlier. You’re such a good boy for making me this, Jason. You can make me food anytime.”

His chest swelled as he took a deep breath, blinking like an owl, and Chad quickly looked away to prevent himself from chuckling. He had no trouble finishing the sandwich and chips, confident that any extra calories would help maintain his round ass. But Jason didn’t touch his food, sitting with his hands on his lap. There had to be some way to get him to remove it. How though? Terms of endearment and praise weren’t enough.

“I’ll clean up while you enjoy your lunch.”

Chad guzzled the water and then brought his glass and plate to the sink, giving them a rinse. The breakfast and baking dishes had indeed been washed, leaving only two knives used for margarine and cheese. He took his time regardless, crunching sounds coming from the table. As for the ingredients, the tub of margarine was empty and so were the cheese wrapper and turkey breast package. He tossed everything into the trash, sealed the remaining lettuce in its bag, and put it into a crisper drawer. Jason was done by that time, rinsing off his own glass and plate. He slid them into the drainboard and then pointed towards the staircase.

“Do you wanna read more of your book?”

He nodded and slid a nail across his throat. Learning more sign language could be useful for communicating during his fun massacre tomorrow.

“The birthday boy can do anything he wants.”

For a second, the blue eye flicked to Chad’s bare legs, and his heart leapt into his throat. Maybe... no. Jason strode out of the kitchen, his pants hugging his beefy ass. God, now wasn’t the time to be a pervert, not after eating. But Chad couldn’t avoid staring at it while he followed. Thankfully the maggots had left it alone. This was still the ass of someone who must’ve done a million squats, and he wanted to squeeze it so bad.

“You still have a really nice ass.”

Jason chuckled as he began to ascend the stairs slowly, exaggerating each step. His voice sounded less raspy than it had this morning, so he could be giving his cock time to recover too. After all, it wouldn’t have been smart to climb out of a grave and have sex within hours. Too bad there wasn’t a way to quicken the process.

His slow pace continued down the hallway, mirroring Chad’s earlier teasing. Two could play this game, but the Greek god was the master. Jason was in for a treat on the bed. He took his new boots off beside it and climbed on, showing none of his hesitation from last night, and Chad did the same. His silky smooth legs stretched out, having been waxed recently, and he pulled his shorts back as high as he could to help cool himself.

Jason couldn’t take his eye off the leg closest to him. He lifted his right hand slightly, the other resting on his lap, and Chad’s mouth twitched as he inspected his legs for nonexistent hairs. It would be game over when Jason felt the softness and imagined them wrapped around his waist. But then he diverted his attention to the open book on his other side and grabbed it. He placed it across both laps to hide some of the tempting sight. Mission failed. What else could be done? Spend the rest of the day in a thong? There was a good idea, but it might be dangerous. If Jason did end up getting horny, his massive cock would turn the young prince into an old man. It really was better to save the other fun for tonight.

Chad held back the sigh that wanted to escape him. He’d gone five years without sex and then another eight months, so this was nothing. In silence, he watched Jason’s hand move as each letter of the alphabet was practiced multiple times. Once the alphabet had been mastered, Jason moved to sections that dealt with sentence structure, tenses, and common signs used around the house. He was an eager student, but Chad found himself dozing off in comparison. It was nice just to sit here and relax in peace, and eventually an arm wrapped around him, pulling him closer to a cool body. There would be lots of running around tomorrow. For now, he could rest.

When he awakened, the room was still filled with bright light, but he was lying on his back and alone. He couldn’t believe his eyes as he rolled over and sat on the edge of the bed. 8:24pm? What the hell. Lunch must’ve been closer to dinner. But more importantly, the bedroom was freezing.

“Hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”

He jumped to his feet at the sound of the ethereal voice. Pamela was standing just inside the doorway, wearing a light blue sweater and brown pants. Her short brownish-blonde hair was perfectly curled. This was how she normally showed herself, though her sudden appearance had startled him. He opened his mouth, intending to ask her what she meant, but she merely chuckled heartily and disappeared into the hallway.

Something had to be going on. Chad followed her, or tried to, but the hallway was empty. He hurried down the stairs and entered the kitchen, discovering Jason at the table with an empty bowl and plate. Chad’s end of the table had a small bowl of salad with some drizzled dressing, a saucer plate with a sausage, and a glass of water. He smiled as he sat down. There hadn’t been any sausages in the fridge, so Jason must’ve stolen them from somewhere. Had he made this light meal on purpose? Maybe because of strenuous activity in the near future?

“You’re making me feel like a prince. I should be cooking for you.”

Jason’s reasons were clear without being said. He was still jealous of Tommy for making the sandwiches, and he was taking Chad’s encouragement to heart. You can make me food anytime. And it was true. The lettuce, cucumbers, and peppers had been thoroughly washed, and he’d even added cubed cheese, sliced red onion, and dried cranberries. It was the best salad Chad had ever eaten, made with love and care, and the sausage was cooked to crispy perfection. He finished off by drinking the refreshing water.

“This was great. Now it’s my turn to treat you to something.”

Chad collected the dishes, gave them a quick rinse, and grabbed two more plates. It was time for Jason to enjoy his cake. Chad retrieved it from the fridge, along with a package of birthday candles, matchbook, knife, and forks from a drawer. Technically Jason was forty-four years old, having been born in 1946, but Chad opted for a single blue candle in the middle to represent Jason’s rebirth. He lit it and then carried the cake to the table, setting it in front of him. Jason played with his hands on his lap and glanced between the cake and Chad’s face, as if he couldn’t believe he was finally celebrating his birthday as a real boy.

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Jason, happy birthday to you.”

A muffled sniffle came from behind the hockey mask, and Chad almost burst into tears. Jason leaned closer to the candle and blew it out. Although she was silent, Pamela was undoubtedly nearby, smiling at her son.

“You worked hard today, so you get an extra big piece.”

Chad returned to the counter to grab the utensils and two plates, setting one in front of Jason and the other at the adjacent chair. A hefty slice and a smaller piece were eased out of the pan and put onto the plates, and of course the birthday boy would get the first bite. Respecting Jason’s continued desire for privacy, Chad carried the cake back, removed the candle, and pulled the plastic wrap over it. Behind him, snarfing sounds indicated that the cake was a hit. He stored the rest in the fridge and rinsed the candle off in case Jason wanted to keep it.

With a grunt, Jason announced he was finished and Chad joined him. He didn’t sit however, having another idea in mind. Bending over the table, he rested an elbow on it and grabbed the fork with his other hand. From this angle, Jason merely had to turn his head slightly to see a different treat being offered. His gaze drifted between Chad’s ass and the slow bites, each one emphasized with little sounds of pleasure. The cake was so fluffy and delicious. When he was also finished, he licked his lips, leaving a bit of icing on the lower half.

“Did I get everything?”

Footsteps creaked out of the kitchen. They continued down the hallway, and the front door opened and closed. Pamela had made a show of leaving, always perceptive of these things. Only then did Jason shake his head. His eye was no longer misty, instead focused on the icing with unmistakable interest. Looking away, he piled the empty plates and scooted back on his chair.

“Maybe you can help me.”

Chad didn’t wait for an answer, plunking himself on Jason’s lap, legs spread on either side. The blue eye widened at his boldness. He had to fight the smile as he closed his eyes, sending a silent invitation for Jason to lick the icing. Seconds passed, maybe even a minute, before a cool tongue accepted it by skimming over his lip. But a kiss wasn’t permitted. The mask made a soft sound as it slid down, hiding the face that Jason wasn’t ready to show yet, and Chad opened his eyes. Hope remained for something more.

“The birthday boy can do anything he wants. He can have anything he wants.”

Hands came to rest on his ass, pressing him down on the growing bulge. His own responded in turn, straining against his shorts, just from the hard pressure against him and the knowledge that this big boy was finally going to give in. He leaned his head against Jason’s chest and grinned to himself as he was lifted up. Jason strode towards the staircase, and there was no going back now. Mission successful.


	3. Thank You

Cocks came in many different shapes and sizes, but Jason had never seen one that looked like it had been munched. He was a frozen boy, watching Chad get undressed in the bathroom, and he didn’t have the courage to take off his own clothes. Although Chad was always nice and didn't make fun of him, maybe he wouldn’t want an ugly and stinky cock. He was so beautiful in comparison, with smooth skin, a sweet scent, and a small but cute dick that stuck out as he turned to face Jason.

“Want me to help with your clothes?”

Jason shook his head, thawing himself. He’d been weak all day and now he had to prove his strength. No matter what, Chad would love him and his cock. He unclipped his belt and put it onto the counter, then unbuttoned his shirt. The skin on his chest was lumpy, but Chad didn’t make a weird face, just looked at everything with round eyes. Jason took his shirt off and laid it beside the belt. Pieces of his ribs were showing, though the strange magic was helping his body heal by turning the missing skin into scars.

A mischievous smile appeared on Chad’s face as he pinched both nipples. They were still sensitive and it felt nice, but he had to remember that only one boy was in charge. Jason did the same to him, carefully so his long nails wouldn’t dig into the soft skin. Chad’s smile turned into a grin, making his eyes sparkle. This was like the days from long ago.

Jason slipped his boots and socks off, revealing his bony feet. These had already been seen by Chad, so he didn’t get scared, but Jason’s hand shook as he pinched the zipper on his pants. Everything would be okay. Even when Chad had seen the worms and bugs, he hadn’t gagged. He wouldn’t gag from the sight of this cock either. Jason slowly unzipped his pants, causing it to spring out. Some of the extra skin was still missing around the tip. Chad had called it foreskin. It was retracted, but there wasn’t a perfect ring like there used to be.

Chad chuckled. “That’s what you were worried about? Now it almost looks like mine. The foreskin helped protect the rest.”

But what about the lumps on the shaft? The worms had chewed holes and this was the result of the healing. It would feel weird for Chad to have a lumpy cock inside him.

“Remember the prostate massager? That had lumps too.”

Right, Jason had also tried that thing. It had felt strange but good. There was another problem though. He lowered his head and took a whiff of his cock. It didn’t smell that great, like worms after a rainstorm.

“It certainly has a unique scent, but...”

Jason looked down at his cock sadly. If it wasn’t so stinky, Chad would want it.

“Hey.” Chad grabbed one of Jason’s hands and squeezed it gently. “It’s still the best cock I could ever ask for. Nobody else has one like this.”

Jason nodded. His cock was a bit munched, but it was still long and thick. He pulled his pants down and stepped out of them.

“Your balls look the same.” Chad cupped them. “Huge and full.”

There was lots of jizz saved up for him. But he was so tiny and fragile, so it always took a while to even get things started without hurting him. Jason could hardly wait. He pointed at the shower.

“Yeah, let’s get washed up first. We worked hard today.”

Chad turned to the tub and bent over the edge to turn the water on. His ass was looking more plump because he was eating better. Mother wasn’t here, so it was safe to give the round cheeks a few squeezes each. Jason had missed doing it and feeling their softness. They had the perfect amount of squish and jiggle, and the best part of all, Chad loved the attention. He grinned as he activated the shower and stepped inside.

Jason went into the tub from the back so he could stand behind his favorite place. He chose the vanilla shower gel, which was also his favorite, and squirted half the bottle onto Chad’s back. His hands moved fast, eager to be touching somewhere else. When he reached the tight hole, he circled it with his finger, enjoying the heat that contrasted with his cool body. His nail was too long and sharp to risk entering, and without lubrication, his cock couldn’t enter. But at least he could provide pleasure in another way. He moved his hand to Chad’s dick and gave it a few gentle strokes while he massaged the tiny balls. They were cute like the rest of him, requiring extra carefulness to avoid turning them into paste, and his soft whimpers were even more cute.

Once everything was cleaned thoroughly, Jason grunted to tell Chad that his cock wanted to get washed too. Chad turned to face him and squeezed a line of gel along the whole length. He used both hands to massage it in, one on top and the other on the bottom. They were so small, barely able to wrap around halfway. He did Jason’s balls next, making sure they also smelled nice. As usual, Chad would receive every drop of jizz. It had been a long time since he’d been filled up, and it was always fun to watch his belly get bigger and hear the cum squishing inside him.

“Can you turn around so I can do your other side?”

The mischievous glint returned to Chad’s eyes. If he was too much of a bad boy, he would need a lesson, but Jason turned around. Goopy hands slid down his back, avoiding the areas with exposed bones. Their main target was Jason’s ass. Chad better not be thinking of using the lumpy cock toy again. Although it was Jason’s birthday, he wanted to take care of Chad’s needs for his good work with killing spiders. Hold him tonight, kill the counselors tomorrow, and have more fun with him after the camp closed. That’s what Jason hoped for, and the first step was leaving the shower. His cock was starting to feel betrayed by the attention that his ass was getting instead.

“That should be good enough. We’ll have to wash up again anyway.”

Chad turned the shower off and stepped out. The massive jizz quantity was to blame for him having to spend so much time bathing afterward. If Mother saw it, she would be horrified. She accepted this relationship, wanting Jason’s happiness, but that didn’t mean she wanted to see cocks and jizz. What if she came home soon? Jason didn’t want her to see them either, so he jumped out of the tub.

“Your legs are getting stronger. Everything will go back to the way it was.”

Maybe it would and maybe it wouldn’t. Jason was just happy to be alive. His heart was beating, his lungs were breathing, and his eye allowed him to see his beautiful Chad. A towel was stretched out beside the rack, waiting to dry Jason off, and he accepted the offer. There was no game, only tenderness as Chad patted the trickles of water from Jason’s chest to his feet. Jason did the same for him, starting with the plastered hair, and he remembered to sweep it back so Chad looked like a prince instead of a pancake. The little shaft was getting soft and didn’t bob when he dabbed it, but it wouldn’t take long to get hard again. Chad was usually a desperate boy after all. And curious. His eyes didn’t leave Jason’s mask.

Jason turned his head to the mirror. His face was relatively dry, protected by his mask. He wished he had the strength to remove it. Home was a safe place, away from those who would make fun of him, but he couldn’t bring himself to show his ugliness. He slid the towel over his protector and then hung it up. One day, his skin might heal enough to turn the ugly boy in the mirror into someone a bit less ugly.

“You’ll always be a handsome boy, Jason. Don’t forget that.”

He gazed at Chad’s gentle face and tried to believe his words, but he couldn’t. Instead he pointed at the black underwear and shirt on the counter. It was the underwear with the thin piece of cloth that disappeared between his cheeks and the silky see-through shirt with holes. Chad didn’t like to wear the clothes meant for girls, so Jason had picked these out. This would give him another present to unwrap.

“I get it.”

Chad smiled and lifted each leg to put the underwear on. Every few weeks, he used those weird waxing strips from the cabinet, and he applied lotion to his legs daily. That explained their softness. Every part of him was soft, including his nicely-muscled chest. The scar over his heart was still visible after he put his shirt on. It brought back memories of the impatient boy who hadn’t been gentle in the Packanack Lodge bedroom, but Jason pushed them away and scooped his little Chad into his arms. He’d made a promise to never hurt him again and he intended to keep it.

Today was a day to be happy, not sad from bad memories. This was the first time he’d been able to celebrate his birthday as a real boy with Chad, and there was a present left to open. Jason carried him into the golden bedroom and waited until Chad closed the door. With this plus the already closed window, Mother wouldn’t be able to hear as much, but there couldn’t be any loud noises just in case she came home early. Jason resumed walking to the bed and lowered him on top of it. The box was on the floor, similar to the boxes Chad had received on his birthday. It had a red lips marking. The lady at the store, Sabrina, had worn red lipstick.

“Let’s see what she gave you.”

Chad crawled onto the middle of the bed and faced the headboard. After picking up the box, Jason joined him and placed it in front of his knees. His cock was interested in the contents too, almost snapping off from its weight. He sliced the tape open with a fingernail and ripped the flaps apart. It was more fun to remove items without looking at them first, so Jason kept his gaze on Chad’s face as he stuck his hand into the box.

The first item was fluffy. He pulled it out and examined the black bunny ears, which were different than the headband Chad had worn at Higgins Haven. One ear was straight and the other was crooked. Maybe this present was for him instead? Bunny ears were for cute boys and not ugly ones, but Jason tried them on anyway.

Chad’s mouth twitched. “You look very cute.”

Jason craned his neck and looked into the mirror beside the dresser. He wasn’t cute. He was the silliest boy in the world. These ears definitely weren’t meant for him. He ripped them off and put them on Chad’s head, ignoring his sigh. This bunny was much cuter than the ugly thing in the mirror.

A black bow tie was next, with two strings attached. Jason leaned forward and tied it around Chad’s neck. Only a bunny tail was needed to complete the outfit, but Chad might not appreciate having jizz inside him overnight. He had to wake up early tomorrow for his job at the camp. Maybe that was the reason for his horrified face. He didn’t want to be with the stupid counselors.

“Oh god.”

Something red and flat was snatched out of the box and hidden behind Chad’s back. Jason tilted his head at him.

“This must’ve been put into the wrong box. I’ll give it back to her.”

Jason closed his eye halfway and slumped his shoulders. Had he been a bad boy somehow? Why wouldn’t Chad want to show him the item at least?

“Sorry. It was rude of me to take one of your presents.”

After making sure the bedroom door was still closed, Chad sighed and handed him a red hardcover book called _Kama Sutra_. It was written by Mistress Sabrina and the cover had two men dressed in skimpy leather, one with his arm slung over the other’s shoulder. The inside was full of illustrated sex positions. Jason shrugged and put the book aside. He’d already imagined a lot of these, so why was Chad so embarrassed?

The fourth present was a long red bag made of velvet. Jason pried it open and grabbed a note that was written on a fancy piece of paper.

“A new life comes with different challenges.”

Chad’s eyes widened as Jason pulled a sheath out of the bag. It was dark grey to match his cock, and the knot was a lot bigger than the old sheath. Maybe the size of his fist. Jason clenched his hand and held it beside the knot.

“No way.” Chad scrambled backward to the end of the bed. “I’ll be ripped apart.”

He glanced at the door again, ready to run, but there was no need to be scared. Jason put the sheath into the bag and pulled the strings to close it. Tomorrow would be a busy day, and if Chad was too sore, he would be forced to crawl around the camp.

“Oh. We’re saving it for another day? Good idea.”

Chad crawled back and folded his legs under him. For extra reassurance, Jason patted his shoulder and got a pretty smile in return. He reached into the box and grabbed a dark bottle of massage oil. The scent was Mystical Forest and it came with a coupon for fifty percent off the next purchase when buying ten or more bottles. Did Sabrina think he was a stinky boy?

“This is really weird. It’s like she knew you were gonna get resurrected." Chad extended his hand and Jason gave the bottle to him. He pressed on the cap to open it and sniffed the contents. “It smells exactly the same. Damp earth and pine trees.”

Chad was right about her knowledge of the resurrection. Why would she have given a new sheath otherwise? Jason had visited her store a few times as a ghost, but he’d been sneaky so he wouldn’t be seen. He shrugged again and accepted the closed bottle, placing it beside the book.

The next item was a folded purple thing that was wrapped in clear plastic. Jason tore it open and pulled the thing out. The color matched the pillows and the silk on the canopy, but this was made of a slippery material.

“It’s called vinyl. I think you’re supposed to put it on the bed so the blankets don’t get dirty. It’ll be easy to wipe off.”

This would be very helpful. Jason had a lot to give him and now Chad’s blanket wouldn’t get full of cum. He unfolded the sheet, which was a few feet in length and width, then moved back. Chad did the same and pushed the box and items aside so the sheet could be laid on the bed. The vinyl made a creaking noise as Jason knelt on it, similar to the silly dress Chad had worn years ago.

The last items were ten bottles with white fluid inside them. Jason grabbed one and held it up to his mask, inspecting the strange white stuff closely. Creamy Delight? He flipped the cap open and sniffed. It smelled like vanilla but looked like jizz. He handed the bottle to Chad so he could take a few whiffs.

“Uh... I think it’s vanilla-scented cum. Not literally, but it’s meant to look like the real thing.”

Jason’s cock twitched as he stared at the bottle. Out of everything in the box, this was the best. Chad had thrown out the old bottles of slippery stuff, which he needed to prevent bleeding, and he would look even better if he was taking cock while cum was leaking out of him. It would be like getting filled twice without the extra effort. But how should he take the cock?

There were still so many positions to try. Jason grabbed the book and opened the cover, skimming through a long list. Some of the phrases were strange, like Rim Sandwich and Intergluteal Sex. It would be nice to start from the beginning to ensure that every position was tried at least once, but the first was Afternoon Delight. The sun was starting to set, so it wasn’t afternoon anymore. This position had to be saved for another time.

What about Arch? It was on page two. Jason flipped there and examined the two pictures. The dominant boy had to kneel with a straight or slanted back. If he chose to lean backward, his forearms would rest on the bed, but one of his hands could do something else like hold on to a silky thigh. The other boy would lay on his back and spread his legs on either side. His feet would rest flat on the bed and he would arch his body to penetrate himself on the big dick. Chad could also just lay there and...

“Jason?”

A small hand waved between his face and the book. Chad was getting impatient, squeezing his thighs together as he tried to hide his hard dick. He’d enjoyed looking at the pictures too, but he didn’t want to wait forever to have a cock inside him. Jason nodded his understanding and chuckled as Chad’s face turned pink. It was the cute bunny’s turn to be shy.

Jason closed the book and put it into the box, along with the sheath and massage oil. He kept a bottle of cum lube, his cock twitching again. It was still hard, not even needing to be touched, but it couldn’t get what it wanted yet. What if Mother found these presents by accident when she was cleaning? He grabbed the box and climbed off the bed to look for a hiding spot. Maybe in the toy chest beside the dresser. She’d promised to never look inside, so that’s where he went. He unlatched the chest, opened it, and dumped everything. These presents were useful, but they weren’t special like the ones Chad had bought for him. Those deserved more care and Jason would try his best to avoid damaging his new clothes.

After closing the chest, he turned to the bed and froze. The bunny had changed his position on the purple sheet. Now he was lying on his stomach with his head on the pillow. His legs were splayed, the bottle of lube was between them, and a naughty smirk was on his face as he glanced over his shoulder. Did he want to be tasted? It had been so long since Jason had done that, but he couldn’t show his face. If Chad was a good boy and closed his eyes, the birthday cake wouldn’t be the only treat today.

A slender finger beckoned Jason to the bed, and he turned the light on so he could see Chad more clearly. The sun was almost gone, its last rays shining into the bedroom. He would’ve liked to watch the sunset with Chad, but there would be many more in the future. A lifetime of them, however long that might be. And although they were beautiful, they couldn't reach the beauty of the hair that shone like gold and the sparkling blue eyes.

Jason walked to the bed and joined his little bunny, kneeling between his legs. Chad had hundreds of this kind of underwear, so Jason didn’t feel bad about tearing the strings on each side and flinging the tatters onto the floor. His cock rested between the round cheeks, and it was huge compared to the twitching hole a bit further down. Chad wanted it badly, but he had to wait until Jason enjoyed his treat.

He grabbed the bottle and flipped the cap open, unleashing the vanilla scent. This stuff had a very different texture than the watery lube. It was thick like his own cum, slowly sliding around in the bottle as he turned it. He moved back just enough for his target to be visible and squeezed a few blobs out. Chad shivered at the contact. Without needing to be asked, he closed his eyes. Good boys deserved a reward. Jason put the bottle aside and slid down the bed until he could lay on the sheet. The vinyl felt weird and slippery against his lumpy cock, and he wiggled to get more comfortable, his mask inches away from the tempting ass. Chad also wiggled, but for a different reason. He was becoming a greedy boy.

Jason gave his ass a light smack. It didn't cause a whimper, but Chad understood that he shouldn’t be too greedy. He stopped wiggling and smiled faintly, keeping his eyes closed. The lube had pooled under his cute little balls, leaving a trail of white from his hole, but there was still enough for Jason to have a taste. He removed his mask and placed it beside him, having no fear of Chad breaking the unsaid promise.

Gripping both cheeks, Jason spread them to fully expose his tiny treat. It glistened in the light, inviting him to lick, and he did. His Chad tasted like the finest of cakes. The sweet whimper added to his delight, sending a jolt through his cock. But when the greedy bunny tried to lean back, Jason had to give him another smack, hard enough for pink to appear on the soft skin. He was the boy in charge. Chad nodded and buried his face in the pillow, now trying to hide his smirk, but it was there. No matter how many lessons he was given, he wouldn’t be a completely good boy. He liked being bad too much.

Bad boys shouldn’t get rewarded for their behavior, but Jason still wanted to finish his treat. Each slow slide of his tongue drew another whimper, muffled by the pillow. The tight hole was so warm, and he longed to open it up and feel more of its heat. He couldn’t get enough, but he also couldn’t get as close as he desired. His face was different and Chad would surely notice, so Jason had to be very careful instead of enjoying himself to the fullest. He limited his licks to the tip of his tongue, lapping every drop of cream until it was all gone, then climbed to his knees and put his mask on.

The creaking of the bed told Chad that it was time to open his eyes. He looked at the cock behind him, his face rosy. His ass wasn’t ready to accept something so long and thick, but it was getting harder to wait. Jason gripped the base and slid the tip over the slick entrance, fighting the urge to finally enter. No, Chad had called him a smart boy, and smart boys knew more preparation was needed before a big dick could claim what it wanted. With these dangerous nails, how would that be possible?

Jason perked up and released his cock. He had a great idea. Chad could prepare himself like he’d done years ago, and he didn’t need a fake cock to do that. He could use his fingers. It would be such a lewd sight to watch the cum lube get pushed into his ass.

“I know what your perverted brain is thinking.”

Chad chuckled and braced his hands on the bed as he turned to lay on his back. He rolled his shirt up, allowing his hard dick to rest on his abs. He’d loved getting licked, and his smile said he was looking forward to stretching himself open. After all, the birthday boy could have anything he wanted. He leaned up, grabbed the bottle, and filled his cupped hand. It slid over his dick teasingly, spreading white everywhere, and traveled lower to a place that Jason craved to touch. His sharp nails dug into his thighs, preventing him from reaching out, but there wasn’t any pain. Only shared pleasure as Chad circled a fingertip over his hole. He lifted his legs to his chest to provide a better view of his slowly disappearing finger, and his other hand gripped the exposed blanket under the sheet. The pink roses matched the bunny’s face.

“This is really embarrassing, Jason...”

Chad rested his cheek on the pillow and stared at the wall, his finger making incredibly wet noises as it slid in and out of his dripping hole. He was such a sweet boy with his headband and little bow tie. How could anyone be this cute and naughty at the same time? He added a second finger beside the first and winced as he tried to spread them apart. They were so slender, but it was still painful with an ass this tight. His dick enjoyed it though, twitching against his abs whenever he found the right spot, and his legs trembled as he opened them wider to reach as deeply as he could. Nothing could reach deeper than the cock that would be inside him soon.

With a loud squish, the fingers withdrew and Chad shakily rose to his knees, white cream pooling under his ass and dick. His face turned a darker shade of pink as he sat on his heels and played with his hands. He wasn’t nearly prepared enough, but this shy boy couldn’t bear to put himself on display any longer. Being a vulnerable bunny was making him less bold. To make matters worse, he wanted something badly and was too ashamed to ask for it.

Jason pointed at his cock. Did his tiny Chad want this now?

Chad waited a few seconds before nodding. He didn’t want to seem too desperate, though his round eyes said it for him. His nice shirt would get dirty with his cum, so Jason pulled it over his head and hurled it into the laundry basket beside the bedroom door. As a bonus, there wouldn’t be any jizzy blankets for Mother to wash. That discovery would’ve turned Jason into a shy boy too, but thankfully he could release as much cum as he wanted and use all ten bottles of lube without worry.

For now, one whole bottle should be enough. He unscrewed the cap and dumped the contents over his cock, saving a lot of time that could be spent playing with his bunny. Chad slathered the lube over every inch while Jason replaced the cap and flung the bottle over his shoulder. This was great teamwork. He gave a thumbs up to Chad, causing him to chuckle. There was so much white stuff everywhere that Jason almost chuckled too, but then Chad moved closer, his slick hole pausing over the waiting cock. All thoughts of laughing left him. When he’d been a ghost for the past eight months, he hadn’t been able to feel this special kind of warmth and comfort. Being inside Chad was still one of the best feelings ever, keeping his cock snug and tightly wrapped, and Jason couldn’t wait anymore. He gave Chad’s ass a two-handed squeeze to tell him.

An understanding smile came, and Jason’s hands lowered to the sheet. It was nice to be the boy in charge, but sometimes it was also nice to pass the control and be pampered. Chad gripped the slippery cock and bit his lip as he pressed the head against his hole. Even with the slickness, it took a few seconds of effort to pop inside, and his eyes watered.

“You’re still so big, Jason. My big boy...”

He petted Chad’s hair gingerly until the tears were blinked away. It was time for patience again, but there was no going back, not when it was so wet, hot, and tight inside his ass. His hole had closed around the head nicely, not wanting to release it. Chad didn’t want to go back either, gasping as his body opened up a bit more for the thick cock. He braced his shaky knees on the bed to control the depth. It was almost too slick, threatening to make him sink down to the balls without any effort now.

There were barely two inches inside him, but he already seemed close, his dick twitching against Jason’s abdomen as he looked down. Chad moved a hand to his balls, pulling them up so he could see his stretched hole. Cream slid out of him, running down the length, and it was a sight that was also difficult for Jason to look away from. He leaned back on his forearms so he could watch every inch disappear when Chad was ready to continue accepting him. This tiny boy still had a lot to take.

Slowly lowering himself, he took more, keeping his head tilted down. Another gasp left him as his dick twitched again, and he paused to catch his breath. Maybe the texture was too much for him, already sending him to the brink of milking this cock dry. But his hungry hole wanted everything, making such lewd sounds with each slight shift of his hips, and it tightened and relaxed as if to urge the cock deeper.

It did go deeper, finally feeling even more of the heat and tightness as Chad sank down. He didn’t stop until a bulge appeared in his belly and balls squished against his ass. It felt so good for Jason’s big dick to be buried inside his little bunny boy. Still leaning back, he raised his hips to ensure he was as deep as possible. There truly was nothing left to give, not a single inch in sight under the smaller balls. Chad released them and let out a rush of air, moving his hand to his belly to feel the bulge. His hips circled teasingly as he continued to press down, squeezing hard around the base, and the remains of the sweet cream dripped from his twitching dick onto Jason’s abs.

Chad loved to ride, but he was being quieter than usual, panting softly as he laid his upper back and feet on the bed. The downward angle made the bulge in his belly more prominent, and his hand remained there. He was a boy who also loved having a cock balls deep inside him, happy to just feel the full length and thickness throbbing in his ass, but Jason needed something else. He needed to see his cock appear and vanish inside his warm and wet mate, hear the smacks and lewd squishes, and feel the drag of the tight hole.

Jason leaned up to sit on his heels and ran his hands over the slender hips. He was being quiet too, even though he wanted to tell Chad how good this was. But he couldn’t stop the sound of his cock moving slowly inside the slick heat. It brought another blush to the shy bunny, who avoided his gaze. He didn’t want to embarrass him more than he already had, so he focused his eye on the creamy hole that gripped his cock so well. It looked like a big load of cum had been received, some leaking out and some getting pushed deeper with each thrust. What a messy boy, but Chad enjoyed the feeling, tightening even further to prevent the cream from escaping his cock-hungry ass. He wanted to be filled up deep, pressing back every time the balls met his ass, and of course Jason would oblige him. Despite the greediness, he would do anything for his Chad.

The hard dick continued to rest on Chad’s abs, clear precum mixing with the white cream. Jason wrapped a hand around it and thumbed the sensitive tip, getting his first soft moan. Chad’s hands were too covered in lube to cover his mouth, so he kept them on the slippery sheet and pressed his lips together. It would be nice to hear him moan again, but his heaving chest, rapid breaths, and blushing face were enough to say how much he loved Jason’s cock thrusting into him. The loud smacks were amazing, saying just as much. This tiny ass was taking him so nicely and deeply, pressure building until Jason couldn’t help himself. He gripped Chad’s hips and held him down on his cock as cum began to squirt into him. The thick spurts joined the cream that was already inside him, making his ass even more full, but nothing escaped. Jason made sure of that, keeping his balls tight against his mate.

Chad lifted a hand to his dick and gave it a couple strokes, bringing himself to the peak with a series of quiet whimpers. He released it immediately and watched it jump off his slightly rounded belly, cum spurting onto his abs and chest. His ass milked every last drop from the twitching cock, sounding so wet as his hole clamped around the base, and Jason sighed in content when he was finally able to breathe normally. He moved his hips slowly, enjoying how easily his cock slid inside the warm ass. Only a few inches were visible as he withdrew, his dark skin completely coated with white cum. With a groan, he pushed back in and hilted his cock, willing to stay deep inside this warmth and comfort forever.

It would’ve been even better to have his big knot locked inside his mate, but Chad was getting sleepy. His eyes were barely able to stay open as Jason scooped him up, though he had the strength to hug. Jason clutched him to his chest and told his cock to calm down. That was difficult because of the ass resting heavily on it, but eventually his cock softened. Cum flowed out, landing on the precious sheet below. It was actually tied with the lube for being the best present out of every item in the box. Cleaning up would be simple, and Mother wouldn’t find a single trace of the fun when she did her dusting and laundry collecting.

After a few minutes of quietly holding his tired Chad, Jason lifted him off his lap gently. It was probably safe to visit the bathroom without leaving a huge trail of jizz behind. He avoided the patches of white on the vinyl and slid off the bed carefully, keeping his hands under his balls. Chad didn’t need any help to do the same, though he had to waddle towards the door. Jason walked beside him to ensure he wouldn’t fall and then opened it. The knob, floor, and vinyl sheet would have to be cleaned, but the first task was washing up in the tub.

It was a slow journey there. Jason wasn’t a freezing ghost boy anymore, so his cock didn’t have the numbing effects. But Chad still smiled as he flicked the light switch with his elbow, which was one of the few parts that didn’t have jizz on it. While he washed his hands and removed his bunny accessories, Jason prepared a warm shower. Chad stepped into the tub by himself, but he did need help to wash his cum-covered backside and get everything off. Jason used the plain soap. Although vanilla smelled nice, it had been overpowering. Maybe it hadn’t been smart to use the whole bottle of lube.

Now free of cum, Chad helped Jason in return, focusing on his torso. It was too dangerous to touch his cock, so Jason handled that, thinking of the naked grandma to prevent himself from getting hard again. When he was also clean, Chad turned the shower off and stepped onto the bath mat. He waited there as Jason grabbed two towels from the rack. One was tossed to Chad so he could dry himself. If Jason hurried with his own drying, he could clean the other areas before Mother noticed.

The towel flew over his body and he was done within seconds. He hung it on the rack, snatched a washcloth out of the cabinet, and moistened it with water and soap. But what about Chad? His hands were moving like turtles, and his wobbly legs weren’t any better.

“Don’t worry, I won’t fall. You might want to put your pants on first.”

Jason nodded. Mother had probably seen him naked a few times without meaning to, but it would still be embarrassing. He placed the washcloth onto the counter and put his pants on. His shirt and socks weren’t stinky, so they could be worn tomorrow too.

“Now that I know the measurements are right, I’ll get more clothes made for you.”

He made a heart sign with his hands to thank Chad. Many presents had been given, and to get more? Jason was a spoiled boy.

Chad smiled, still drying himself. “You’re welcome. Be a good boy and clean the jizz before your mother comes home.”

Jason was already striding out of the bathroom with the washcloth in hand. He kept his gaze on the floor, carefully scanning for jizz, and found a few blobs that he wiped on the way to the bedroom. The doorknob and bedroom floor were also cleaned. He tossed the washcloth onto the vinyl sheet, gripped the edges, and carried it to the bathroom, keeping the jizz contained in the middle. Chad had finally finished and now he was collecting the bunny ears, bow tie, and clothes he’d worn earlier. He gave Jason a thumbs up as he passed him.

“I’ll get rid of the empty bottle and underwear while you clean that.”

With this great teamwork, it would be time to relax in bed soon. Jason laid the sheet in the tub and turned the warm water on. Kneeling beside it, he used the washcloth and soap to clean the sheet thoroughly until there was no white on the purple. The stairs creaked as he reached for the knob. Was Mother home? At least the jizz was all gone. He turned the water off and stood up to hang the sheet over the shower rod. The bathroom was still a bit messy because of his shirt, belt, boots, and socks on the counter and floor, but he would come here tomorrow morning to have another shower. He left them there and walked to the bedroom.

Chad was getting into bed, having changed into a pair of shorts that he called boxers. The tattered underwear and empty bottle were no longer on the floor, and there weren’t any other signs of the fun. Jason flicked the light switch, turning the room into darkness, and easily found his way to the right side of the bed. Lying on his back, he covered himself with Chad's blanket and wrapped his arm around the tiny form beside him. His lone eye gazed at the gentle smile. Even in the dark, Chad looked like a beautiful angel. He was the kindest boy in the whole world for being able to love a boy who was so ugly in comparison.

“Good night, Jason.”

He grunted softly. This hadn’t been the best night—that was reserved for the night when he’d met his Chad. But this had definitely been the best day. Jason was together with him again, and he wouldn’t let anyone or anything change that. In the years to come, there would be more of these fun birthdays.

_"Happy Birthday, Jason."_

Long ago, when Mother had been a young girl with a baby in her belly, her strength had allowed her to see light in dark places. If she hadn't been strong, Jason wouldn't have been born. If he hadn't been born, he wouldn't have been able to meet this angel. He wouldn't be here, holding the boy he loved with all of his heart. As he stroked the damp hair, he tried to smile as much as his ugly face would allow.

_"Thank you, Mother. Thank you for the best present a boy could ask for."_


	4. Grand Opening

Piercing pain awakened Chad on the morning of the camp’s grand opening. Alas, it was to be expected from having taken a horse-sized cock last night. The more startling thing was the fact that he hadn’t packed anything for his job as a counselor, and he gasped as he bolted upright. A clothed giant, the source of his pain, was kneeling at the toy chest with a stuffed weekender bag on either side of him. Extended across his palms was a black cat tail.

“Don’t even think about putting that in the bag.”

Jason’s shoulders drooped as he glanced back, closing his eye halfway. This sad puppy trick wasn’t going to work anymore.

“I can’t be walking around with a cat tail hanging out of my shorts.”

The tail was exchanged for a black bunny one. Jason stood up and turned to the bed, cupping the ball of fluff in his gloved hands. His pleading eye stared at it.

“When would we even have time? I’m gonna be busy with the kids.”

Jason pointed at the alarm clock. Time could be made.

Chad sighed. “Fine. But if I’m too sore, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”

Who was he kidding? His miraculous body could do more than accept gargantuan cocks. It could also heal like nothing had ever happened. By the afternoon, he would probably be ready for another round, and Jason was delighted by the prospect. He shoved the bunny tail into a bag, zipped them, and was striding out of the bedroom within seconds to bring both downstairs. Apparently he trusted the old man’s ability to make it to the bathroom without falling.

Chad slid off the bed and walked into the hallway, his pride preventing him from waddling. The bathroom counter held his clothes for the day. It was standard fare, consisting of a dark green muscle shirt, black shorts, and black socks. A damp towel was hanging from the rack, so it seemed like Jason wouldn’t be joining him in the shower this morning. His excitement likely included snooping in the camp before everyone arrived.

Instead of driving there and putting his convertible at risk of getting smashed during an escape attempt, it would be smarter to walk through the forest. And to get there by 7:30, this had to be a fast shower. The alarm clock had said 6:45. Chad was in and out within minutes, but the rest of his morning routine took longer. He got dressed, combed his hair and swept it back, applied deodorant and sunscreen, washed his hands, and finished with a few spritzes of aquatic cologne. Was there anything else? He was going to be at the camp all day, so his wallet wouldn’t be needed. But he did need the house key. Jason had probably hung the keyring by the front door.

The stairs proved to be more troublesome than Chad’s journey from the bedroom to the bathroom, but he descended them without breaking anything. A glass of milk and a plate containing two pieces of toast with peanut butter were waiting on the table. The toast was burnt but edible, and the cold milk didn't have any chunks in it.

After rinsing his glass and plate, he went to the backyard, intending to change the food and water in the coop. The traitorous chickens were perched on Jason’s thighs inside their enclosure. Chad was always allowed to pet them without getting pecked, but they were never this cuddly. Jason, on the other hand, was being treated like their best buddy. This was bullshit, but Chad couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he stood outside the enclosure.

“Did you change their food and water already?”

Jason nodded. He’d also collected two eggs that were in the grass near his boots.

“You’re such a great help. Ready to leave for our next adventure?”

His eye twinkled. He understood what this adventure would entail—a bunch of dead counselors tonight and a camp that would never reopen again. The chickens clucked their disapproval as he gently lifted them off his thighs, and Mother Clucker even tried to flutter back on. He caught her in mid-air, clutched her to his chest, and gave her neck a few strokes. Meanwhile, Chad’s jealousy increased by the second, his narrowed eyes watching each movement.

Thankfully it didn’t take long for the damn chicken to be soothed enough. When Jason lowered her to the grass, she went on her merry way and started looking for bugs. He grabbed the eggs carefully, cradling them like a nest, and walked towards the back door. Chad closed the door to their enclosure and latched it, then jogged to catch up. The sky was overcast, and if past adventures were anything to go by, another storm could hit tonight. At least the windows were shut, so the only things left to do were brush his teeth and grab his raincoat, bags, and keys.

Chad opened the back door and waited until Jason entered, his hands occupied by the eggs. It was always heartwarming when such a big man displayed such gentleness. With a smile, Chad closed and locked it. He brushed his teeth in the bathroom by the staircase and then headed for the front door, admiring the nature paintings on the walls. Lots had been accomplished since he’d seen this house for the first time, but there was lots more to do. Replacing the ancient roof was the most important. It was a miracle how there hadn’t been any leaks.

His smile turned into a weary groan as he shouldered a bag. Why the hell was there so much stuff? The camp would only be open for one day. Wait... no wonder Jason had stuffed the bags until they were almost bursting. It would look suspicious to bring just a few things, especially when this job was supposed to last for five weeks. His ability to think ahead was amazing, and so was his ability to suddenly materialize. Chad flinched as Jason appeared beside him to grab the other bag.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen your shift ability.”

Taking a deep breath, Chad put his racing heart onto the road of recovery. Jason didn’t need to jog when he could simply shift and morph between locations in the blink of an eye. This massacre would probably be another clean sweep like the one at Pinehurst, though the presence of the kids would require careful consideration. That presence would be the perfect excuse for Chad’s survival for the fifth time. He could take the kids somewhere and hide them from the angry giant who would never hurt them in reality.

None of that anger was present now, just eagerness as Jason whipped the door open and strode outside. After draping his raincoat over his arm and pocketing the keyring, Chad locked the knob from the inside. He pulled the door closed behind him and jogged to catch up once again.

Jason was already at the beginning of the forest trail. By the time Chad reached him, he was out of breath, his painful ass adding to his discomfort. Jason slowed down and extended a hand, offering to take the burden of both bags, and Chad accepted the offer. The camp was at least a mile from here, and it would be nice to walk without worrying about being a hindrance.

“It’s still amazing that the house hasn’t been found yet.”

Someone only had to follow the tire tracks from the frequent trips into town. Maybe the townspeople did know where the house was located and they just avoided it because of the Voorhees' history. Either way, this quiet walk was a blessing. The shadows made the forest look a bit creepy, but there was nothing to be afraid of with Jason around. His eye never stopped moving as he scanned the surroundings. Any creepers would be discovered long before they saw this odd duo.

A twig snapped nearby, making Chad flinch again, but Jason didn’t react to the noise. It had been caused by a deer, her round eyes watching the shrimp and the giant. These curious animals weren’t the only things that had claimed the forest as their home. One of the most terrifying moments had been driving through the area at night and hearing the crashes of a bear chasing its prey. Being here with Jason, however, was like being with the king of the forest. He could probably kick a bear into the sky before it even laid a paw on him.

“We’re almost at the gate. I should take the bags.”

Years ago, back in the Higgins Haven days, the wooden gate had been busted open by a guy who hadn’t been great at driving Chris’ van. Now it was chained shut to keep the kids from wandering into dangerous territory. A red and white sign was attached, declaring No Trespassing. These were pathetic security measures. Chad simply climbed over it and accepted the bags from the other side. He stuffed his raincoat into one of them, making sure to zip it afterward to prevent any runaway bunny tails, and then sighed at Jason.

“I guess I won’t see you until tonight. It’s gonna be a long day without you. May I have a goodbye kiss?”

Jason bowed his head and stared at the dirt for a few long seconds. Finally he looked up and leaned over the top of the gate, presenting his masked face. This was better than nothing. Chad gave him a kiss where his mouth would be and then pulled back, smiling at him.

“So do you have anything special planned?”

Jason slowly signed a message. His bulky leather gloves made it more difficult to decipher the meaning, and Chad’s smile faded into a frown as he concentrated.

“Give hope, take away... is that what you meant?”

Jason was gone in a blink. More of this sneaky stuff. Answers would come with time, likely in the form of a pile of dead counselors with Tommy’s mutilated corpse decorating the top. And some of those counselors were arriving. Gravel crunched in the distance, coming from the left. An orange car flashed between the trees as Megan raced up the road in the middle of the camp. A black truck followed her, blasting music from a boombox in the cluttered back. The Volkswagen Beetle was still parked at their destination, so Lizabeth and Darren must’ve stayed overnight.

All of these people would be dead soon, so Chad wasn’t sure why he cared about making a good impression on them. Nevertheless, he turned to the forest and cut through, walking at a brisk pace to avoid being late. It would look less suspicious if he arrived from the same direction instead of this dead end road that discouraged trespassers. Explaining his lack of a car would be troublesome enough. His fake house was located miles away and would've required over an hour of walking with these heavy bags. Maybe he’d hitched a ride to get here? Yeah, that would work.

The shortcut took him to an archway constructed with skinny logs. Overhead, a painted sign said Camp Forest Green, and a totem pole was on each side. To the left was a vertical sign displaying six positive traits: friendliness, sportsmanship, integrity, courage, self reliance, and tolerance. Four newly-built cabins were in the main hub, and there were other new additions, including wooden swings, benches, and shrub gardens. The camp was barely recognizable from when he’d come here with Jason to watch the sunset. It was opening today and would close tonight. So much work for nothing.

“Hey Chad!” Sissy yelled over the music. “Wanna help us bring this stuff inside?”

She was accompanied by Megan, Paula and Cort as they unloaded a package of toilet paper, a basket of vegetables, and boxes of condiments, napkins, and paper plates. Just like at Higgins Haven, it was time to be treated like a pack mule. Chad plastered a smile on his face and walked over to them. The condiment box was plunked onto his waiting hands by Sissy, as if he wasn’t carrying enough already.

Paula balanced the box of napkins and plates on the edge of the truck. She leaned forward to look at Megan, who was daydreaming with her arms wrapped around the toilet paper. “Megan?”

“Huh?”

Paula waved a hand up and down. “Hello? Is anyone home?”

Megan smiled after a brief delay. “Yeah.” She must’ve been thinking about Tommy. It was too bad for her, but he only had eyes for the prince.

Sissy giggled with Paula and grabbed the cleaning supplies. “This girl’s back at the jail cell with her prisoner of loooove." She also grabbed a huge bag of popcorn at her feet and then started following Paula to the nearest cabin. Cort had already gone inside, so the door was open. “Don’t be playin’ with no crazy jailbird, girl. Those dudes are bad news.”

“Oh? And how do you know?” Megan asked Sissy, grinning behind her back. Already feeling out of place among these gossiping girls, Chad walked at the end of the line, remaining silent.

“I been around long enough to see plenty on TV.”

“TV... psh.”

The group turned left into the first doorway. A mountain of stuff was on the small table in the middle of the kitchen. Chad put his box onto the cluttered counter and Sissy did the same with hers, giving him a smile for his work. The table received Megan's toilet paper. Cort was standing there, examining the label on a can of beans.

With a big can of tomatoes in her hands, Paula moved between Cort and Megan. “I don’t know about that guy, Megan... he seemed pretty weird with all that Jason stuff.”

Smiling to herself, Megan circled around the table to the sink and looked through the window. She was a pretty girl, her face illuminated by the soft light. It would be great if Tommy pursued her instead of the prince.

“You know what you need, Megan,” Cort said, gesturing with his free hand. “I’ve been tellin’ you this forever. You need a guy like me. Guys not so twisted.”

She turned to him and crossed her arms. Her voice was ominous. “Maybe he was telling the truth. Our parents keep telling us that Jason is a legend, but maybe that legend is actually real.” Everyone turned their heads to listen to her dramatic story. “What if Jason did come back here? Looking for the camp counselor that caused him to drown as a little boy. Searching for the one that decapitated his vengeful mother. You do know what today’s date is, don’t you?”

“Thursday, June 14th,” Chad answered.

Megan raised a hand to her chin and pondered for a moment. “You’re right. His birthday was yesterday.” She shrugged. “Well, you owe us a scary story later. You kinda ruined the moment.”

Chad gestured to the window. “It doesn't get much scarier than that.”

Muffled screaming emerged from outside as a yellow bus appeared, packed with kids. What a nightmare. From his previous counselor experiences, the little girls always fought over him and the boys always wanted to go hiking in the forest to look for bugs. Not exactly his idea of a good time.

“Yay. The kids are here.”

Cort put his headphones on and sighed as the kids hurried down the steps, carrying stuffed animals, footballs, bags, trunks, and other items. Sissy and Paula stared through the window with dread, contrary to the faint smile on Megan’s face. When the last kid got off the bus, a woman appeared on the steps to make an announcement.

“Here they are, and they’re all yours!”

She couldn’t look more pleased about getting rid of them. The bus driver closed the doors and off they went, leaving more than twenty kids outside. The girls outnumbered the boys.

“Think I’d rather deal with ol’ Jason,” Sissy muttered.

“I don’t think you would.”

Chad’s comment made the four counselors raise their eyebrows. He didn’t stay to elaborate, heading for the front doorway with his bags still over his shoulders. Someone had to take initiative in dealing with these kids, so it might as well be him.

His plan was ended by the approach of Lizabeth and Darren, coming from a smaller cabin across the road. He paused a few feet from the mob, trying not to smile at the little girls whispering to each other and looking at him with round eyes. They were around the age when girls thought boys had cooties, but they could still appreciate guys who resembled the handsome princes from fairy tales.

Lizabeth blew a whistle, drawing the kids’ attention. They turned to her, but a girl with straight blonde hair kept glancing over her shoulder. Chad pretended not to notice as he and his fellow counselors waited for instructions.

“Megan, Sissy, and Paula. I want you to help the girls get settled in. Cort and Chad, you’ll do the same with the boys.”

“Can he come with us instead?” the little girl asked, glancing back again.

Lizabeth smiled apologetically. “No can do, Nancy. Cort could use a hand.”

“But he already has two.”

She chuckled. “I meant he’d be too busy by himself.”

Megan took Nancy’s hand. “Come on. Let’s check out the cabin together.”

There were no further complaints as the girls followed Megan, Sissy, and Paula to a small cabin in the north. They passed the boys’ cabin on the way and disappeared into the trees. It had been a strange decision to house the kids outside this cluster of cabins, but there was an advantage. By being away from the main hub of activity, they would be farther from the danger tonight.

“All right, guys. Let’s go.”

Excited chatter and a herd of footsteps followed Chad and Cort to the boys’ cabin, which was less than a minute away. He walked up the steps and entered it, holding the door open for everyone. There was a single room with six beds on each side, a fireplace and bookshelf at the back, a table holding a cage with two hamsters, and a few other furnishings. As the boys chose their beds, Chad massaged his temples, already growing tired of the screaming and hollering.

“You can put your bags under the beds.”

His voice was drowned out by the continued excitement. The boys didn’t need help to get settled in, which was nothing more than stashing their bags and toys. Because of his absence yesterday, he hadn’t been briefed on the activities for today, so he had no clue what to do. Maybe a nice hike in the bug-infested woods? Or maybe the kids hadn’t eaten breakfast yet.

“Did you guys eat?”

Kids and their selective hearing. The chatter came to a stop, some of them nodding and others shaking their heads.

Cort finally decided to be useful by draping his headphones around his neck and pointing a thumb over his shoulder. “Let’s go back. I’ll get you guys some cereal or whatever.”

Chad hefted his bags. “And I’ll bring these somewhere. You’ll be okay for a few minutes?”

“Yeah. I’ll get Liz and Darren to help.”

“Sounds like a plan. See you soon.”

Chad left the cabin and followed the road east and then south towards the dead end. Two small cabins faced each other within a short walking distance of the gate. This would make it easy to sneak away once the murder session was over and the cops were dealt with, but he had a feeling that it wouldn’t be so simple. Especially if Dorf got involved. Worst case scenario, a few hours would be spent at the police station and a cop would escort him to his fake house afterward.

These cabins appeared to have been spared from a makeover. They had the standard single room with a little section at the back, so he chose the left one randomly and hid his bags under the bed in the corner. His aching shoulders were finally given a break, but his ass still hadn’t recuperated. Thankfully he was able to walk normally, sparing himself from coming up with an excuse for curious kids. Speaking of them, he should help get breakfast prepared and amaze his fellow counselors with his culinary skills. It was the least he could do for the people who would end up as a pile of corpses soon.

Something stopped him from heading back to the kitchen after he’d stepped outside. A guy was creeping through the forest ahead, clad in camouflage equipment, clear goggles, and round glasses. His teeth resembled those of a bulldog as he parted the bushes viciously, gripping a paintball gun in his right hand. Everything was so corny that Chad could almost hear the trumpets playing in the background. He rolled his eyes and closed the cabin door.

The nerd wasn’t the only guy creeping around. He’d brought his two buddies who were looking for him. They lacked his dorky hat, instead showing off their balding heads. What the hell were middle-aged men doing in a camp for kids? There were miles upon miles of forest for them to play paintball elsewhere, but it was too late for them to visit a different area. They wouldn’t be leaving this place. Among the trees, a much taller figure was stalking them with a machete in his gloved hand. Counselors or not, they were trespassing on a camp that shouldn’t have been reopened.

Once again, morbid curiosity drew Chad closer to the forest. It was gross but also exhilarating to watch Jason kill someone, and the sight would offer stomach preparation for the events to come. The gorier, the better. That was the sad truth of exposure to these things. After seeing enough of them, desensitization kicked in. But during these past eight months, Hawes had been the only victim, so it was like starting over.

It only took a few crunchy steps into the forest for something to strike Chad’s chest. His mouth flew open as he stared at the blob of red paint on his shirt. The source didn’t show itself amid the dense foliage, but it had to be the nerd or the two goons. Jason had packed plenty of spare clothes, so one dirty shirt wasn’t a big deal. However, the person responsible didn’t even have the balls to show himself and admit his error. That’s what caused Chad to clench his hands and cast a withering glare around.

The shadows and camouflage outfits made it impossible to find the perpetrator, who didn’t move a muscle. He turned around and walked towards the forest border, pretending to leave, then sidestepped behind a wide tree at the last second. His ploy worked, revealing the balding men about twenty feet away. They muttered angrily to themselves as they went deeper into the forest, failing to notice the sneaky Chad that bolted from tree to tree.

“Just a damn kid. Once we nail Roy, that’s it.” The skinnier guy jerked his gun. “Victory will be ours!”

“It’s taking forever! I’m starving.”

“That’s the problem, Larry. That’s why your sales are never up to par. Your instinct to stuff your face is stronger than your instinct to _win_!”

“You’re a real ass, you know that?”

“It’s better than being all ass. Roy can probably hear your cheeks clapping from a mile away.”

“That is _so_ unfair!”

“Ugh. Here we go with unfair again. War is not fair, Larry.”

“Give me a break, would you? This is just a game!”

“War is ugly business.”

“Well I wanna get a chicken sandwich.”

“We just ate breakfast! Wait until we kill something and then you can eat!”

“Calm down a little with your attitude. You’re an insurance broker!”

“Death is my business!”

Larry raised his hands exasperatedly. “You become this whole other person when we’re out here, Stan. I don’t like it.”

“This is a man’s game requiring a man’s cunning, a man’s intelligence..."

A woman rushed out of the bushes. She raised her gun before Stan did and fired two shots in quick succession, hitting both men in the chest with red paint. “With a woman’s touch.” Her voice was triumphant as she holstered her gun.

“Now wait a minute!” Stan and Larry stepped towards her, one angry and the other disbelieving. “I thought Burt shot you!”

“See any paint?” she asked, doing a circle with her hands up. “Sorry, guys. I defeated Mr. Commando, weapons and all. Survival is the name of the game and that flag is mine.”

She grabbed the piece of blue cloth sticking out of Stan’s pocket and stuffed it under her belt. The men turned around and holstered their guns as they walked away.

“I can’t believe this,” Larry muttered to him. “Burt never took the shot. We never should’ve let Katie play.”

Stan gritted his teeth. “It’s a damn company executive game and she’s a damn company exec!”

Katie rested her hands on their shoulders from behind. “Come on now, boys. Don’t be spoilsports. Put on your headbands.”

They yanked black strips of cloth out of their pockets and tied them around their heads. The arguing started up again as they resumed their walk of shame. By the sounds of it, two guys were left. Roy and Burt. Maybe they would prevent this headache from getting worse. Grown men shouldn’t bicker like babies over a stupid paintball game.

It wasn’t the brightest idea for Chad to venture deeper into unfamiliar territory by himself, but he had faith that Jason would find him. He stopped following the trio and turned left, searching for better action. It took less than a minute to find some. A machete glinted in the distance, though its owner wasn’t Jason. Another man, balding like the other two, was hacking at the branches that hindered his progress through the forest. A faded paint splotch was on his camouflage shirt, and his headband had _Dead_ printed on it with white text. His cheeks were smeared with a stripe of black grease under each eye. He paused and glared in Chad’s direction, then went back to taking out his anger on the trees. So if the short nerd was Roy, that meant this was Burt.

“Dumb broad! She tricked me! They’re gonna laugh for months! She should’ve stayed in the kitchen where she belonged! A woman shouldn’t be allowed in these games! It’s not a game, it’s life!”

Behind him, the stalking giant went unnoticed. Burt's next machete strike was interrupted by a strong grip around the handle, and he jerked his head to look at the hockey mask. There was a sickening rip as Jason whipped him towards a sharp branch sticking out of a tree. A smiley face had been carved into the bark above the branch, but Burt didn’t smile as his own face collided with it. He died instantly from the impalement through his heart. His head slumped to the side, revealing a smear of blood over the carving.

Jason, in contrast, was left holding the machete’s handle. Burt’s fingers were still wrapped around the lower half. Raising it slowly, Jason examined the arm he’d ripped off, blood dripping from the gory end. He had no need for it, so he flung the arm aside, releasing the machete in the process. Chad couldn’t help but snicker at the ridiculousness of it all.

There wasn’t much time to admire Jason’s strength. The hunt was still on. Where he went, Chad followed, crouching low to the ground. The next target turned out to be the nerd, who had his gun angled across his chest as he peered around a tree. He placed his other hand on a branch and dropped to a knee, startling himself when it suddenly broke off. Unsuccessfully, he tried to reattach the branch. He tucked his gun under his arm and used both hands, causing the bark to crumble off. Realizing this was futile, he released the pieces and sprang into action. His gun was gripped determinedly as he scampered to the nearest tree.

With his back pressed against the trunk, he leaned around to get a quick look of his surroundings. It was clear, or so he thought. On his way to the next, he got caught on a web of spindly branches, but he managed to free himself by flailing his arms. After ensuring the coast was clear, he darted out again and paused for a second, looking for victims. None were found, and onward he went, pressing his back against another tree. But luck wasn’t with him. Between this tree and the one across, he tripped over his own feet, landing on his stomach. His gun flew out of his grasp and disappeared among the forest debris.

“Darn!”

On his hands and knees, he frantically searched for his gun in the twiggy grass. His hands stopped sweeping as he peered through his glasses and goggles, scanning the area ahead of him. Katie and the two men were coming.

“Oh my god. No.” His frantic search resumed, dead grass flying everywhere as he scurried in a circle. “Oh no, oh no! Oh god!”

Katie's voice rang out, causing him to scramble to his feet and dart behind a tree. “Come on out, you guys! The game’s over!”

“You don’t know for sure,” Stan said, giving her a sideways glance as they passed Roy. “What about Roy? Nobody’s seen him.”

“Well if he hasn’t accidentally pelleted himself, I’m sure he lost.”

“Yeah, well, the game’s not over until it’s over.”

Larry nodded and gestured to Stan’s headband. “Yeah, that’s right.” They shared a look and then stopped walking at the sound of a crunch.

“Shhh,” Katie whispered, grabbing their arms. “Wait a second. What was that?”

After glancing around the forest, Stan looked at her disdainfully. “Nothing.”

She released their arms. “I could swear I heard something.”

“I’m hungry,” Larry said softly.

“Oh god,” Stan muttered.

“Be quiet, guys!”

They’d been too busy looking down instead of up. Jason dropped in front of them, having climbed a tree. There wasn’t even time for them to scream before he lopped their heads off with a single swipe of his machete, sending three geysers of blood into the air. Roy stood a few meters away, his paintball gun back in his hands. He raised it and fired at Jason’s chest, striking his new shirt with a red blob of paint.

Jason wasn’t pleased. He slowly tilted his head up and breathed deeply. His long strides began to close the distance between himself and Roy, whose gun shook and fell from his grasp.

“Oh, my god!” He turned around and fled, his footsteps thumping on the ground. “My god! Help, guys! Help me! Help! God, somebody! He’s gonna kill me!”

Louder footsteps got closer and closer as he glanced over his shoulder between screams. It wasn’t the time to be staring at Jason’s ass, but Chad couldn’t stop himself as he walked nearby. The new pants hugged it so well. Too bad about the shirt, but if Jason wrapped this up quickly, a stain could be prevented. He disappeared in a blink and reappeared in front of Roy, causing his glasses to shatter from the impact. Roy stumbled onto his back and air whooshed out of him, putting a stop to his screams. Bracing his feet on either side of him, Jason stabbed downward with his machete, piercing the heart.

For good measure, Jason hacked an arm off, the sharp blade slicing through the skin like butter. He stepped to one side and did the same with a leg, promising a gruesome discovery for anyone who found the corpse. The bloody machete was wiped on Roy’s shirt and then sheathed. At least his death had been painless. Chad circled around the body to Jason’s side and held out his arms.

“Could you morph me back to my cabin so I can change my shirt? It’s to the southeast.”

His request was answered with an embrace, and the scenery changed in a second as Jason morphed him to the cabin door. The closeness couldn’t last, not with the risk of others being nearby, so Chad was released immediately. He looked up at his big zombie teddy bear and smiled.

“I’ll see you later.”

This time the answer was an ass squeeze. Before he could roll his eyes, Jason was gone. Maybe the next meeting would be an ambush. As Chad entered the cabin, he vowed to stay within the relative safety of the other counselors. Until they were murdered of course. There would be no Afternoon Delight for this sore ass.

He exchanged his green muscle shirt for a black one and left it on the floor. If the counselors asked why he’d been gone so long, he had an excuse. He’d heard strange noises in the forest, went to investigate, and got shot by a paintballer. Then he’d gotten lost and had to find his way back. There was no need to mention the fact that he’d watched five people get killed by his zombie husband, who was probably scrubbing his new shirt somewhere like a madman.

Given the big size of the campground, it would be a pain in the ass to look for everyone and resume the counselor duties. Chad took a chance with walking to the main hub and it paid off. Megan was standing near the lake’s edge, rallying the little girls ahead of her. Sissy and Paula were behind the group, sharing glances and giggling at Megan’s awkward enthusiasm.

“Okay... is this gonna be the best camp ever?!”

“YES!”

“Are we gonna go fishing?!”

“YES!”

“Are we gonna... scare all the boys?!”

“YES!”

“Are we gonna, uh...” Megan waved her hand, searching for inspiration. “Not eat brussel sprouts?!”

The rally continued as Chad approached Sissy and Paula. He stood on Sissy’s other side and tried to ignore the loud voices. “Where’s Cort?”

Sissy put her hands on her hips. “The better question is, where you been for the past hour? We had to make a lot of food for the kiddies.”

“I heard strange noises in the woods and thought someone was creeping around. It turned out to be four men and a woman playing paintball. One of them hit me.”

Sissy sighed and lowered her hands. “I can believe it. You changed your shirt.” She smiled coyly. “Lookin’ good by the way.”

“Uh... thanks. So about Cort...”

Her smile widened into a grin and a hand returned to her hip. “He’s taking the young men off to teach them my favorite sport.”

“Which is?” Paula asked.

“Boy scouting, honey.”

Paula looked at her disbelievingly. “Cort? You’ve gotta be kidding.”

With his torn clothes and eyeliner, he didn’t fit the visual of a boy scout leader, but Chad had to give him credit for stepping up to the plate. “I guess I’ll see if he needs help. Where can I find him?”

Sissy pointed a thumb over her shoulder, gesturing to the forest. “They shouldn’t be too far in. He’s not exactly the best at findin’ his way around.”

Eager to get away from the screaming little girls, Chad left without another word. He crossed the road and soon found himself back in the forest, but luckily this wasn’t the area where the paintballers had gotten killed. Less than a minute into the walk, Cort and his crew were found. He was kneeling in the middle of a circle of boys, and a pile of rocks were in front of his knee. Everyone looked bored out of their minds, and many had their arms crossed as they stared at him. A freckled boy was particularly displeased.

“You’ve got to be kidding.”

Cort took his headphones off and draped them around his neck, smacking his gum. One hand rested on his knee and the other flapped for emphasis. “Listen, you obviously know nothing about Indians, okay? Probably none of you do.” He glanced at the rocks and then back to the boys. “Look, here’s the story.”

His right hand moved to the pile of rocks, causing some of them to topple. “These are called Indian markers. Let’s just say you have a chief, alright, and he dumps his squaw or wife or whatever. And he decides hey, I wanna pick up with another woman and take off with her. So he takes off, leaving his son with the mother and all of a sudden, a week or two later, the son wants to catch up with his dad, right, he wants to learn how to shoot a bow ‘n stuff, you know, kill buffalo or whatever these guys do. So what happens is he comes along, sees the rocks, sees his dad went that way, obviously. And so what happens is he comes up...” Cort knocked the rocks over with a dramatic flourish. “Knocks them all down before the mother catches up, ‘cause she doesn’t, he doesn’t wanna see her anymore. So um, you know, pretty much that’s the basic story. It tells you where to go.”

The freckled boy rested his elbow on another’s shoulder. “If this is as exciting as it gets, we’re in big trouble, dude.”

Chad almost snickered as Cort’s pleading blue eyes looked at him for assistance. Everyone’s expressions were priceless. Luckily for Cort, there was an answer to this boredom problem. What did boys like to do? Hunt for bugs obviously.

“Why don’t we look for bugs?”

“Look for _bugs_?” Freckles asked, crossing his arms again. “What are you, five?”

Chad tipped his chin to the scattered rocks. “Would you rather stare at rocks all day? And besides, you could scare the girls.” He lowered his voice and cupped the side of his mouth. “I heard them talking about you guys.”

Interest flickered in Freckles’ eyes. “What did they say?”

“I don’t know if I should tell you. It was pretty bad.”

The boys muttered among themselves and stared into space, imagining all of the horrible things the girls could’ve said. Chad’s mouth twitched, nearly becoming a smirk, but he managed to compose himself as everyone’s gaze returned to him.

A shrimpy boy clenched his hands. “Come on, tell us!”

Chad glanced over his shoulder before replying. “The girls wanna send you crying back to your moms so they can have the camp to themselves.”

The circle of boys blew up into pumping fists, determined gazes, and indignant shouts.

“Oh man!”

“The girls are really gonna get it now!”

“We gotta do something!”

“Let’s send _them_ home!”

Chad raised his hands, asking for silence, and the shouts died down. “We can’t let them hear our plan. First we’ll need to steal some plastic containers from the kitchen. Give me your name if you want to volunteer.”

“Tyen.” The freckled boy jerked his head to his friend beside him. Both appeared to be around twelve years old. “Billy’s coming too.”

“Great. We don’t want to attract attention by having too many. Cort, do you wanna stay here and tell another Indian story while we get the containers?”

“Yeah, I got this.” Cort started collecting a bunch of twigs. “Why don’t I tell you guys about another kind of Indian marker—”

The rest of the boys groaned. Leaving them to their torment, Chad set off with Tyen and Billy. They were silent and far easier to tolerate than the girls, who were no longer by the lake’s edge. Maybe this plan would be stopped in its tracks before it had barely begun. At the front door of the cabin, Chad pressed a finger to his lips and listened closely.

“I don’t think anyone’s inside. I’ll keep watch while you guys get the containers.”

Tyen nodded and opened the door slowly, holding his breath as it creaked. He shared a glance with Billy and then they crept into the kitchen together. Clatters erupted as the containers were dumped into a bag. They returned in less than a minute and Tyen closed the door, gripping the bag in his other hand.

“Great job. Let’s get back to the others.”

Despite Tyen’s initial ridicule of the bug-catching activity, he was excited to return to the group, jogging alongside Billy. Behind them was Chad, smiling at his smart idea. At least he could grant these kids a bit of fun before their lives were traumatized forever. Well, that second part might not happen. Jason wouldn’t purposely make them witness murder. As long as they stayed under their beds or something, more people like Tommy wouldn’t be created.

Chad’s heavy sigh wasn’t noticed among the stomping footsteps. If he’d never visited the Jarvis House to see Tommy's masks, the guy wouldn’t have turned into an obsessive lunatic and wannabe hero. And tonight, the final consequence of that trip would come into effect. Tommy would die, but he would also get relief from the nightmares that had plagued him for years. Jason would live and be free of his annoying nemesis. As for the prince, he wouldn’t have a lovestruck teenager dreaming about him anymore, and he could rest easy in knowing that Jason’s worst threat was gone forever. Everyone would win.

The poor girls wouldn’t be so lucky. They were in for a nasty surprise later, judging by the eager grins on the boys’ faces. Cort had finished his enlightening tale about twigs and was now standing behind them. His drooping shoulders said just how much he was looking forward to this activity.

Chad stopped in front of the group with Tyen and Billy on either side of him. “We’ll split up into six pairs. Make sure you stay close so I can see you. Cort, do you have a pen or something to make air holes in the containers?”

Cort searched his jean pockets, but they were empty except for a package of gum. He shrugged. “They’re just bugs, man. Gonna end up dead anyway when the cabin gets cleaned.”

A boy raised his hand politely before speaking, reminding Chad of the old days of being in school. “I used to keep bugs in jars. They can survive a day without air.”

“Good to know.” Chad gestured to Tyen's bag. “Why don’t you start handing them out?”

There was just enough for all twelve boys. Chad accepted the empty bag and stuffed it into his pocket as everyone selected their partners. They were surprisingly well-behaved, making sure to stay in sight once they started the bug hunt, and Cort helped watch them by strolling among the trees. Every so often, an excited shout was heard as they searched under logs and inside tree hollows. Some were hesitant about using their hands to touch a particularly nasty bug, so they scooped them into their containers. Others had no qualms about attacking their prey with gusto. By the end, their knees and hands were filthy, and the containers had a wide assortment of spiders, grubs, beetles, grasshoppers, and centipedes. Chad shuddered as they crowded around him to show off their conquests.

“Yeah... that’s really great. Seal the lids tightly so you guys don’t end up with the bug-infested cabin. We’ll have to hide them under the beds until it's time to attack.”

The hardest part would be carrying a bunch of bug containers to the cabin without the girls noticing. Or not. Remembering the bag, Chad retrieved it from his pocket and held it open. The boys carefully placed the containers inside.

"Tyen, you can take the honor of carrying the bag."

He nodded solemnly and accepted the nasty bag.

"Try to act natural on the way back. We don't want them suspecting anything."

Chad and Cort walked at the rear of the group. On the way down the road, none of the kids noticed the smiling Darren and Lizabeth in the kitchen window. Undoubtedly they’d discovered the missing containers, but they probably found the whole thing humorous. Those two were pretty laid-back like the rest of the counselors, though they weren't lazy. They'd worked hard to prepare for the grand opening, having spent long days and nights here. It was almost a shame that this camp couldn’t stay open. With the right people staffing it, another kid wouldn’t die. But Jason’s logic was understandable. Why take the risk at all? The counselors had proven incompetent in the past.

There were many hours to go before the massacre, but Chad’s stomach was already flipping. Four adventures later and he still wasn’t accustomed to seeing people get cut down. Maybe he really should spend his time guarding the kids from a threat that wasn’t there. But what if Tommy did find a magical way to get rid of Jason for good? This was a risk that couldn’t be taken. It wasn’t like Jason needed a babysitter, but he could use someone watching his back. Too bad there wasn’t a way to magically fast forward in time and be back at home after the grand closing.

Tyen opened the door to the boys’ cabin, leading the long line of them. Their absence would’ve been a great opportunity for the girls to pull a prank, but nothing had been disturbed inside. Halfway down the aisle, he hid the bag under his bed while the others stayed near the doorway. Now what?

“Any ideas, Cort?” Chad asked.

He opened his mouth but Lizabeth provided the answer, shouting from the main cabin.

“Lunch time!”

The herd of boys zoomed out of the cabin, racing each other as they whooped with glee. This was another one of those days where time flew, eliminating the need for magic. After the cabin was emptied, Chad closed the door and walked beside Cort, who didn’t share their enthusiasm.

“Not a fan of this kind of work?”

Cort shrugged. “Would be better if my girlfriend was here.”

Actually it wouldn’t. His girlfriend’s presence would mean a high probability of sex, and sex meant they would die first. Jason was a weird one when it came to the subject. He loved having it, but he probably hated seeing it. The sex-crazed counselors hadn’t been doing their jobs, and if Cort and his girlfriend were discovered, it would reaffirm Jason’s beliefs about counselors being bad people. What if one of the kids wandered out of their cabin at night and needed help that didn’t come? But Cort was going to end up dead anyway, so none of this really mattered in the end.

He put his headphones on, offering nothing further about his life. It was better this way. No point getting attached to people when their fates were sealed. Striding ahead of him, Chad entered the main cabin and turned into the kitchen. The table had been cleared of clutter, and turkey breast sandwiches were being prepared by Megan, Sissy, Paula, and Lizabeth. Chad washed his hands as the girls worked behind him.

“What were you boys up to in the forest?” Megan asked.

“Identifying bird species. We also caught a few bugs. They’ll be released tonight.”

“Hmm. I see.” Megan gestured to a loaf of bread on the side of the table. “Well, get your butts in gear. We have a lot of sandwiches to make.”

“I’ll check on the kids.”

Cort had made a beeline for the hallway before the request was fully out of Megan’s mouth. But Chad offered his assistance without complaint, assembling ten sandwiches with a touch of butter, sliced cheese, lettuce, and turkey breast. He piled them onto the serving platter, which already held a mountain. Once the girls had finished with their loaves, Lizabeth carried the platter out of the kitchen, followed by Megan with a wad of napkins. Judging by the slurps and crunching of chips that came from deeper in the cabin, the kids had already started feasting on lunch.

Chad's stomach growled as he looked at his empty bag of bread. The kids were more important, but he would’ve liked to enjoy one of his perfect creations.

“We got you covered.” Sissy winked as she collected the leftover butter and cheese. “Go and enjoy yourself, pretty boy.”

The Chad from years ago would’ve been all over Sissy, but he merely acknowledged her compliment with a nod on his way out of the kitchen. Since meeting her, he’d come to realize that she was just a harmless flirt anyway. Not like Tiffany, who’d slept with anything and everything except Greek gods.

Just down the hall, he made his grand entrance in the dining room full of kids, who paid him no attention as they continued to snarf. An empty chair was available at the foot of the boys’ table. Darren was sitting at the head, grinning as he listened to a spirited boy tell him about bugs. At the other table, Lizabeth and Megan sat with the girls, who talked about having a tea party this evening. This wasn’t a scene of counselors not doing their jobs properly. It was a bunch of people having fun and looking forward to the summer’s upcoming arrival.

Before his thoughts could run in a bad direction, Chad sat at the table and helped himself to a sandwich he’d made. It was easily distinguishable from the rest, which lacked the tasteful precision that could only come from him. He finished off with a glass of ice water, steering clear of the sugary bottle of coke that was also available.

“Any plans for this afternoon?” he asked Darren, speaking loudly over the chatter.

“Yeah. We’re taking the kids swimming after their stomachs settle.”

Swimming. The word caused dread to creep along Chad’s spine. This was an opportunity to snoop that Jason surely wouldn’t miss. And if something bad happened, the counselors would truly be screwed tonight. But there was another possibility. If they proved their ability to keep the kids safe—some of which who might be poor swimmers—then they would also prove themselves to Jason. This camp could survive its grand opening after all.

“Sounds like a great idea.”

It was actually one of the shittiest ideas in the world, but Chad still smiled across the table. Everything would go to hell like it always did. It would be far too convenient if the swimming activity was completed without a hitch.

When everyone was done eating, Lizabeth clapped her hands to get their attention. The chatter died down. “We have some downtime before the swimming. Me and Darren will lead you back to your cabins so you can hang out until then.”

The kids perked up and cheered at the mention of swimming. They stood up and turned to the hallway, waiting for the head counselors to walk to the front of the line. Some of the boys snickered and grinned at each other, clearly planning something for the girls. Lizabeth and Darren led the procession out of the cabin while Chad remained seated, picturing all of the possible ways this could go wrong.

He snapped out of his trance and started collecting the paper plates. Sissy and Paula joined him, finished with their kitchen cleanup and whatever else they’d been doing for the past ten minutes. They sneaked the occasional glance at him and giggled, probably imagining the prince in a speedo. Maybe Jason had packed one, having anticipated the swimming, but Chad no intention of gracing the world with his beauty. He wasn’t the best swimmer because of his preference for showing off his beach body at the lake’s edge, and besides, the water was full of nasty bacteria.

“Are you gonna join us in the lake?” Megan asked innocently, though her eyes twinkled with mischief as she loaded glasses onto a tray.

“I’ll just be watching from the shore.”

Sissy sighed on her way to the kitchen, carrying two empty jugs. “Dang. You really know how to break a girl’s heart.” She was patted on the back by Paula, who had the coke bottles clutched to her chest.

Megan followed them out with her tray of glasses. “I’m sure Cort can lend you a swimsuit if you need one.”

“Nah, I’m good.”

With a stack of crumb-filled plates in his hands, Chad followed the girls to the kitchen. That was thankfully the end of the discussion. There was another reason why he wouldn’t be gracing everyone with his beauty. The last time he’d worn a speedo was his trip here with Jason, and he wanted the next time to be special. A private lakeside getaway, preferably with his sexy zombie wearing one too. Plus there was something nasty about sharing a dude’s swimming trunks. Cort didn’t look like a master of hygiene.

The guy was still missing after his disappearance from the kitchen. Like Adam and A.J, he didn’t fit the counselor role. The two rockers had spent most of their time drinking, getting high, listening to music, and making out. Cort was probably doing the same or whacking off to his girlfriend’s picture. Luckily Chad was here to pick up the slack. He dumped the paper plates into the trash, helped Megan by drying the glasses and putting them away, and did the same with the jugs. Meanwhile, Sissy and Paula had also disappeared, likely getting their swimsuits.

Megan turned to him once the last jug had been dried. “Are you sure you don’t wanna—”

“I’m sure.”

She sighed heavily and ran a hand through her hair. “Maybe I’ll pay my dad a visit later and see if he got rid of that pretty boy in the jail. Do you know his name?”

“Tommy Jarvis.”

Recognition flashed in her eyes. The massacre at the Jarvis House had been all over the news, so everyone in town knew about the little boy who’d survived. But now he wasn’t a little boy anymore, and Megan couldn’t contain her interest as she leaned an arm on the counter. Her smile said it all: she wouldn’t mind getting to know him a bit better. In bed.

“Tommy, huh... if he’s been in a clinic for years, a gal might have a chance.” Her sigh was wistful as she strolled towards the kitchen doorway. On her way through, she raised a hand over her shoulder.

“Meet you at the dock once their bellies get settled. The one behind the girls’ cabin.”

In the meantime, it was too dangerous for Chad to take an afternoon trip to his cabin. A horny zombie could be waiting there, so he settled for heading straight to the dock, which was located near Megan’s earlier rally. There were tire swings, a wooden slide, boats, and plenty of folding chairs that reminded him of the gruesome fate Deborah had suffered. He sat on a chair close to the water. It looked murky because of the trees’ reflections, and he shuddered at what could be lurking down there. Hopefully the kids wouldn’t need his help.

If only someone had helped Jason. The shoreline curved left, leading to the two docks where he’d drowned. He could’ve enjoyed a quiet life with his mother in their tiny corner of the woods. But if he hadn’t become a killer, Chad wouldn’t have met him on that night. Tragedy could tear people apart and bring them together. And if these counselors didn’t do their jobs today, they would learn of the first possibility. A harsh lesson in pain.

Within a few minutes, footsteps and whooping alerted him to the kids’ imminent arrival. A rainbow of colors blurred past him as the boys kicked off their shoes, threw their towels onto the dock, and zoomed into the water. The girls were more demure, testing the temperature with their toes before entering, and some chose to sit on the dock instead of joining the splash fest. Out of the counselors, only Sissy, Paula, and Megan arrived. Their swimsuits consisted of a black and yellow one piece, a ruffled floral thing that looked like it had come from a grandma’s closet, and a brazen red bikini. They sat on the row of chairs further back, talking about girl stuff that didn’t interest him in the slightest.

More minutes passed and with each one, the temptation to get away from these screaming kids grew. Chad had realized long ago that he wasn’t the best suited to be a counselor. Back then, he’d been more focused on ogling scantily-clad girls. Now he just wanted this day to be over so he could head back to his quiet life, but he forced himself to keep a close watch on the kids. Eyes were on him, and they didn’t belong to anyone in sight. Rather, they belonged to man who’d drowned in this lake thirty-three years ago.

A boy ran up the dock, being chased by another, and jumped in. His friend watched from above, craning his neck as he waited for him to surface. A head appeared, followed by flailing arms and violent splashes, but the counselors were too busy chatting about guys to notice. The kids’ screams masked the boy's cries for help, and his friend on the dock couldn’t extend his arm far enough. Chad bolted off the chair, his heart racing as fast as his legs. He knelt on the very edge, one hand gripping a support beam, and reached out with his other. A smaller hand grasped his, but no amount of pulling could close the distance.

Beneath the water, a dark shape lurked. The counselors were being tested and they’d failed. All except for one. With a last pull, Chad was able to free the boy from Jason’s loosened grip, and he hauled him onto the dock using both hands. After a few coughs and splutters while hunched over on all fours, the boy recovered from his brief ordeal. He climbed to his feet and rubbed his eyes, looking like a drowned rat. His friend gave him a few pats on the back.

“What happened?” Chad asked.

“Something grabbed me!”

The boy glanced behind him, but the shape was gone. Too rattled to think straight, he didn’t offer any thanks as he trudged down the dock, followed by his friend who kept asking if he was okay. What would’ve happened if he hadn’t been saved? Would the lake have claimed another victim to further discourage this camp from reopening? No, Jason would never harm a child. The boy had spent mere seconds under the water. He might be wary during future swimming sessions, but this experience wouldn’t scar him forever. Not like the little Jason who’d taken his last breath because of counselors that hadn’t been paying attention.

Sissy, Paula, and Megan finally looked up from their girl talk as Chad stood in front of them. He gestured to the two boys sitting on chairs near the trail.

“You didn’t notice him almost drowning? Didn’t hear him crying for help?”

Paula was the first to rise, her panicked face contrasting with Sissy and Megan's guilt. “What? Is he okay?”

“He’s fine. But you might wanna get off your asses and do what counselors are supposed to do in situations like these.”

Once again, Chad was tempted to leave in a huff, but he returned to his chair and sat down while the three girls strode to the boy to comfort him. These people couldn’t be trusted to do anything properly when all they’d cared about was chatting. Where was Cort? Or the head counselors? No wonder Jason despised them so much. Most teens had one thing on their minds: sex.

The fuss caused curious kids to wander over. They crowded around the boy’s chair, repeating the same question, and some of them glanced warily at the water as if expecting a monster to appear from its depths. Eventually the lake cleared out and the kids dried themselves off, abandoning their thoughts of going back in. They joined the rest of the group and waited for the counselors’ instructions.

Megan clapped her hands and put on a fake smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “All right, let’s head back and get changed. Who’s up for some arts and crafts afterward?”

There were a few grumbles from the boys, but they followed the counselors nonetheless. Heaving himself off the chair, Chad walked behind the group. Megan allowed the others to pass her so she could walk beside him. She bit her lip.

“Can you keep this a secret? Liz and Darren are gonna be pissed if they find out. The parents will get worried, and my dad too, and... I don’t want us to lose this gig, you know?”

All things considered, the boy was fine. He was waving his arms and telling a grand story about how something—maybe the Loch Ness Monster—had grabbed his ankle underwater and tried to eat him. But then he’d managed to free his foot and swim to safety.

“Yeah, sure. They don’t need to know.”

Megan winked. “I knew we’d be cool.”

She rejoined her friends at the front of the pack. They hadn't gone swimming and there wasn't enough sunlight for them to get a tan, so their swimsuits had turned out to be useless. The only purpose had been to entice Chad, who wasn’t interested in these girls. A few of the other guys, however, were of the age when puberty caused their eyes to wander. Their grumbles about crafts turned into whispers about which of the three teens were hotter.

The talk came to an end once it was time for the group to separate. Keeping an eye out for Jason, Chad waited outside the boys’ cabin as they got changed. There hadn’t been a single sighting of him since this morning, but he was out there, planning gruesome ways to end the counselors’ lives. After what Chad had witnessed, he wasn’t sorry. This camp could rot forever.

At least there wasn’t a way for Sissy, Paula, and Megan to get the kids killed during arts and crafts.

Unless those stupid girls let them run around with scissors or something. Still clad in their swimsuits, they appeared around the corner of the cabin with their group in tow. The boys had also come outside, so Chad led them to the recreation cabin in the main hub. The front room had plenty of couches and lounge chairs for the kids to sit on while watching educational movies. On either side of the projector screen, there were two doors leading to the back room. Inside were long tables for doing crafts, puzzles, and other activities.

“We’re gonna change out of our swimsuits,” Megan said. “Think you can handle them for a few minutes?”

Chad nodded and the three girls left the cabin. The kids sat at the tables without needing to be told, boys on one side and girls on the other. He dug around in the cabinets to get coloring books, pencil crayons, paint-by-numbers kits, and blank sheets of paper. Some of everything was distributed onto both tables so the kids could choose what they wanted to do. Under different circumstances, he would’ve used his brains to come up with a creative craft for them to bring home to their parents, but that would be pointless now. The parents wouldn’t want any souvenirs from a place that would soon bear its old name of Camp Blood.

Sissy, Paula, and Megan actually proved to be useful once they returned, dressed in the clothes they’d worn earlier. They walked along the girls' table, providing help when needed, and Chad did the same with the boys. He stopped behind the chair of the one who’d been pulled under the water. A drawing depicted the murky lake, dock, and the forest beyond. Between the trees, a tall figure stood, wearing a white mask over his face. His right hand held a pole. No, not a pole. That word wasn’t enough for something with such destructive potential. This was a spear with its pointy end facing one of the chairs. Jason was preparing to make a powerful throw.

“Who’s that supposed to be?”

The boy didn’t answer, enthralled with completing his drawing. A blonde girl in a red bikini appeared on the chair. Then the tall figure was scribbled out with a black pencil crayon.

“Uh... did you see someone earlier?”

He nodded and glanced over his shoulder with saucer eyes, but said nothing. Having talked enough with this creepy kid, Chad resumed walking until he reached the end of the table. He plunked himself on an empty chair and stared into space as the scratches of pencils faded into the background. Why would Jason have been aiming at Megan? Maybe he hadn’t liked her skimpy bikini and flirtatious attitude. Whatever the reason, she was lucky she hadn’t been used for target practice. The kids’ presence had probably been the thing that had saved her.

“Everything okay over here?” she asked, appearing beside Chad. “You’re being awfully quiet. Don’t forget, we have a date for a scary story tonight.”

“Yeah. It’s just been a while since I’ve done this.”

Megan smiled warmly. “Well you’re doing great.” Her smile disappeared in a flash, becoming a roll of her eyes. “Unlike a certain someone we know.”

Cort was quickly descending the totem pole in terms of usefulness. It reminded Chad of the fact that he was just sitting here, so he stood up and stepped around Megan to check the boys’ progress. This couldn’t be more boring, though they seemed to be having fun. Even the ones who’d grumbled. He complimented everyone on their drawings and paintings, inwardly longing to be home and doing activities with Jason.

Chad lost track of how many laps he did around the room, but he was sure feeling the exercise in his legs by the time Lizabeth announced dinner from the front door. The boys, of course, were the first to jump out of their chairs and head for the grub. Many of the girls opted to put the finishing touches on their artwork. He collected the pencil crayons from the boys’ table and slid them into their cardboard holders while the other counselors closed the lids on the little tubs of paint. When Megan reached the drawing of Jason, she picked it up and arched an eyebrow.

“Know anything about this?”

Chad shrugged as he put the pencil crayons into the cabinet. “The kid has a big imagination. That was a pretty wild story he was telling.”

“That’s for sure.” Megan lowered the drawing and walked over to Nancy, who was the last girl left. A piece of paper was clutched to her chest. “And what do you have there, missy?”

Nancy’s face turned pink as she glanced back at Chad. “Nothing.”

He didn’t need to see the drawing to know what it was. The prince had an admirer. He raised his chin and lifted a hand elegantly on his way to the front door, which was hanging open. “I’ll see if they require my attention in the kitchen.”

Sissy chuckled. “We’ll finish up in here, Your Highness.”

Chad couldn’t even bring himself to smile as he pulled the door closed behind him and headed to the dining cabin. His stomach was starting to get weird again, wanting nothing to do with dinner. Darkness would arrive in about five hours and so would Tommy. No way would he pass up the opportunity to join the action. That stupid sheriff should’ve driven him back to the clinic like he’d said he was going to do, and then the staff should’ve turned Tommy’s cell into an impenetrable prison so he couldn’t escape and cause trouble. There was only one problem with that idea. Jason wanted him dead, not rotting in a cell.

With a tired sigh, Chad opened the door at his destination and left it open for the others who would arrive soon. He followed the happy chatter that emerged from down the hallway. The kids were feasting on hotdogs, hamburgers, and french fries, accompanied by the head counselors and Cort. He was sitting at the foot of the boys’ table where the prince wanted to sit. But then again, the smell of grease and meat didn’t help Chad’s stomach at all. Turning back, he walked to the kitchen and tried to take his mind off the trouble by throwing out the empty packages strewn on the counter.

As he washed his hands, Megan and her friends arrived. They passed the kitchen doorway and then she stepped backward, noticing him. “Did you eat already?”

“Not hungry.”

“At least you’ll have room for roasted marshmallows.”

She resumed walking to the dining room and Chad turned the water off and dried his hands. He couldn’t stay here, not with the smell being even worse, and the chatter was getting on his nerves for the hundredth time today. As a teenager, he’d been just as loud as the rest of them, but everyone had to grow up eventually. The party animal was long gone, and in his place was a guy who wouldn’t survive five weeks doing this job. He just didn’t have the tolerance and neither did his headache. Screw the cleanup after dinner. Cort could get off his ass and help the girls.

Chad left the cabin and leaned against the exterior, taking deep breaths of fresh air. It wasn’t long before Tyen and Billy joined him. They glanced around to make sure nobody was listening through one of the open windows.

“Remember those bugs?” Tyen whispered, leaning close.

“Yeah.”

“We should release them now. The girls were talking about having a tea party soon.”

“Might as well.”

It wasn’t like Chad had anything better to do at the moment. He had plenty of things he would rather be doing, but he couldn’t just stroll home. He walked to the boys’ cabin with Tyen and Billy, kept watch outside while Tyen grabbed the bag, and then continued onward to the girls’ cabin. Before ascending the steps, the two boys looked at each other, mustering the courage to enter this forbidden place.

“You guys got this. If anyone comes, just hide under a bed.”

They nodded grimly, their faces determined as they entered the cabin. From here, only the boys’ cabin was visible, so there was no need to be worried about being spotted from afar. The only concern was finishing before the girls arrived for their tea party. Luckily it took just a few minutes for Tyen and Billy to finish their mission. Unfortunately the other boys hadn't been able to join the fun, but that would’ve been too risky. A large group would draw suspicion.

“What should we do with the containers?” Tyen asked.

“Bring them back to the kitchen and say you let the bugs out.”

Tyen nodded. He and Billy were old enough to get around without an escort, so they jogged ahead. Meanwhile, Chad dragged himself there and resumed his position beside the door. If the girls were going to spend their evening having a tea party, maybe the boys would be satisfied with doing something similar like playing with their action figures. Then they could be put to bed and that stupid storytelling session could happen. But before everything, the bug situation had to be resolved, starting with an explanation to Megan.

“What brings you two here?” she asked from the kitchen.

“Uh... we decided to let the bugs out in the forest,” Tyen said. “Chad helped us.”

“Now tell me the truth, buster. There won’t be any creepy crawlies waiting for the girls in their cabin?”

“There shouldn’t be.”

“You better hope there isn’t. Otherwise you boys will have some cleaning to do. _All_ of you.”

Despite Megan’s stern tone, there was underlying humor in her voice. Water started to run as she washed the containers, and footsteps retreated deeper into the cabin. After a few minutes, it was turned off and a herd of footsteps headed for the front door. It was opened by Sissy, who led the girls to their cabin with Paula. Word had gotten out regarding the bug invasion, at least among the boys. They followed close behind, unable to contain their snickers.

“Okay, who left the door open?” Sissy asked.

The girls paused as they neared their cabin, and the boys watched the proceedings from afar. The open door had been an oversight on Chad’s part. His fellow perpetrators, Tyen and Billy, exchanged glances with him. It was time to be brave and take ownership of the problem.

“I did.” Chad approached the back of the group, followed by all of the boys. “I went to go check on the hamsters and got distracted by a weird noise. You might wanna be careful in case any animals got inside.”

Sissy and Paula cautiously entered the cabin while the other girls peeked around the doorframe. The bugs had either crawled out or were hiding somewhere. None were in sight, but they checked under the beds anyway. After confirming the coast was clear, Sissy gestured for the girls to come inside. She closed the door until it was only open a crack.

“No boys allowed.”

Tyen snorted. “Not like we want a stupid tea party anyway. Come on, guys.”

They hadn’t even made it halfway to their cabin when screams erupted. Sprinting the rest of the way, they bolted inside. Chad slammed the door shut and lowered the barricade. Seconds later, angry fists pounded on the wood and footsteps circled around the cabin. Tyen and Billy were one step ahead, already closing the two windows and curtains, and another boy turned the light on. Sissy’s stern face appeared between the curtains at the last second.

“No girls allowed.”

Tyen met Billy in the middle of the room and gave him a high-five while the rest of the boys cheered. The festivities didn’t last long—they were content to quietly lounge on their beds and share comic books. It gave Chad a chance to rest on the comfy chair near the fireplace. He leaned back and closed his eyes, soon falling into a deep sleep. His troubles were forgotten, at least for a short time.

He awakened to knocking on the cabin door. Tyen went to investigate, peering through the window beside it, and his shoulders relaxed.

“It’s just Megan.”

Chad heaved himself off the chair and walked to the door. It couldn’t be nighttime already. But it was, indicated by the darkness after he’d lifted the barricade and opened the door. A bag of marshmallows and a package of kebab sticks were clutched against Megan’s chest, and a flashlight was clipped to her belt. She peeked around Chad’s body to look at the boys.

“I want all of you in bed within the next thirty minutes.” Before they could protest, Megan raised a finger. “We have loads of fun stuff planned for tomorrow. It’ll be a busy day, so I don’t wanna hear any complaints. Now put your PJs on.”

They grumbled as they leaned over the edge of their beds to dig around in their bags. Megan’s gaze shifted to Chad, her finger still raised.

“And you better not have forgotten. It’s the perfect night for some chills and thrills.”

Chad sighed. He wasn’t in the mood to be a storyteller, but this persistent girl wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Lead the way.”

Stepping into the chilly night, he took a dark secret with him. He had the fortune of being excluded from the counselors who wouldn’t live to see another day.


	5. Grand Closing

The scene at the campfire was reminiscent of Chad’s adventure at Packanack. Counselors were sitting on worm-infested logs around the fire, only this time, there weren't any lampposts to help illuminate the darkness. And unfortunately for Jason, there were less counselors to kill. Cort, Sissy, Paula, and two strangers were present, swatting at their exposed skin as mosquitoes tried to chew them. The girls had changed into lounge clothes.

Megan pointed at the unknown guy and girl, both of which appeared to be in their mid-twenties or older. “That’s Steven and Annette. And this,” she said with a grand flourish of her arm, “is Chad.”

“The survivor of four massacres. That’s me.”

Chad sat on the folding chair between the logs. Megan sat beside Sissy and Paula, leaving Cort, Steven, and Annette across from them. Six pairs of eyes waited for the storyteller to begin, but there was something he had to do first. It had been six years since he’d eaten roasted marshmallows. He grabbed the bag near Megan’s feet, tore it open, and speared one on a kebab stick. Firelight flickered over his face as he leaned close, holding the marshmallow near the flame and turning it frequently. The others passed the bag around until seven were getting browned.

“Jason Voorhees... I’m sure you’re all familiar with the tale of the boy who drowned in 1957.”

They nodded. Chad looked around eerily, examining the dark forest, then removed his marshmallow from the fire. As it cooled off, he narrowed his eyes and smiled faintly, setting the mood.

“Imagine yourself standing beside a grave and staring at the lid of a coffin, wondering what you’ll find. The only light comes from a lantern on the ground and the occasional lightning flash. Wind howls, blowing your hair in every direction, and thunder booms. Around you, lost souls wander, seeking vengeance for being taken away from the mortal realm.”

Chad paused to chew his marshmallow off the stick. He cringed and spat it out after the first bite. Instead of gooey goodness, it was strangely hard.

Megan smiled sheepishly. “I found them when we were cleaning out the cabins before the renos. But they’re just marshmallows, right? They don’t go bad.”

“You _what_?” Chad tossed the stick into the fire and spat in quick succession, clearing his mouth of any nasty traces that remained. “They could be eleven years old!”

She waved her hand playfully. “I’m just screwing with you. They only expired about a year ago. From my personal stock.”

“Still nasty.”

There were several shrugs around the fire as the others began to eat, unfazed by the knowledge of munching stale marshmallows. The mood had been broken, but Chad had a great idea how to get it back.

“You open the coffin, unable to hold back your curiosity any longer. Is the infamous Jason Voorhees really inside? No, just one of his victims. Maggots writhe around, eating the juicy eyeballs, and spiders skitter everywhere as they look for their own meal. The scent of rotting meat makes you gag, and you almost blow chunks of—”

“I’m out.”

Cort threw his stick aside and strode into the darkness, heading north. The others weren’t looking that great either, swallowing hard. Their sticks had also become kindling. It was a struggle for Chad to prevent the smirk from creeping over his face as he stood up.

“Well, I guess that’s it for storytime.”

Sissy shook her head slowly. “Remind me to _never_ let you tell me a story. That was some nasty ass shit.”

“I know another. It’s about two teens getting their heads crushed like tomatoes and—”

A scream pierced the air, sounding like Cort’s voice, and everyone else bolted to their feet. The grand closing was already getting underway. Seconds later, he staggered out of the forest, red trickling down his chin. But something was wrong. Chad had seen enough blood to be able to tell the difference between the real thing and the cheap stuff from a costume shop. Not only that, the others were watching his blank face for a reaction. This was just a prank on the new guy. He rolled his eyes, preventing himself from being the laughing stock of these clowns.

“Real funny. Four massacres later, I think I can tell the difference.”

Megan pursed her lips in a pout. “You’re a real party pooper, you know that? I’m gonna see if that pretty boy is still around. Maybe _he_ can bring some excitement around here.”

“You do that.” Chad took a few steps towards the trail, but Sissy stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“C’mon, the night’s still young. Why don’t we play cards or somethin’ while this girl chases her boy toy?”

Chad opened his mouth to refuse, then opted for a reluctant nod. He might as well stay close to the action instead of confining himself to his cabin for the night. Sissy smiled in response.

“It’s settled then. Wanna come, Paula?”

She hugged herself and looked around nervously. “I guess. That guy was weird, but what if he was telling the truth? We should make sure the kids are okay.”

Sissy flapped a hand. “They’re fine. Liz and Darren got them covered. Anyone else wanna come?”

Annette shook her head. Her engagement ring glittered in the firelight as she gestured to a bag on the ground. A champagne bottle was sticking out of it. “You sorta caught us at a bad time.”

Steven avoided her gaze. It sounded like they just happened to be in the area and one of the counselors had come across them. Now they were hoping to get back to their celebrations, and judging by the blanket spread out nearby, those celebrations could get them killed. What was with people wanting to have sex in the middle of the woods instead of a comfy bed? Annette, with her old-fashioned floral dress, didn’t seem like the thrillseeker type.

“I’ll let you lovebirds get back to it,” Sissy said. “C’mon Megan, we can walk you to your car.” She wiggled her fingers spookily. “Might not be safe for a girl to be all by herself out here. You never know what could be lurkin’ in these woods.”

Megan gave her a playful shove and then led the pack, showing no fear as she ambled down the trail with her hands in her jean pockets. Chad and Sissy were also composed, but Paula was a different story. Her eyes were constantly flicking around the forest. During the brief conversation, Cort had sneaked away somewhere, probably embarrassed about his stupid display. Thanks to Chad’s intellect, the prank had been stopped in its tracks.

It was a fast walk back to the main hub. West along the trail, north up the road, and through the wooden archway, guided by the full moon’s light and the narrow beam from Megan’s flashlight. She wasted no time getting into her car and making a sharp U-turn that almost caused Chad to get clipped by the sideview mirror. She apologized with a wince and a wave, and he just shook his head in disbelief. This girl couldn’t be more desperate for her dreamboat at the jail. Unfortunately for her, he wasn’t there anymore.

The destination was the small cabin across from the dining hall. Sissy opened the door and flicked the switch, illuminating a living room to the left and a few beds to the right. Chad closed it behind them and smiled at the wicker chairs around the coffee table. They were another reminder from Packanack, except it had been a couch that had turned into a pile of sticks from Jason’s weight.

Sissy slid her feet into a pair of fluffy slippers by the door. “I’ll cook up some popcorn. Paula, you get a fire started. Chad, you can sit your ass on a chair and look pretty.”

He did as he was told, crossing his legs demurely. At least Sissy had an eye for beauty. She dug through a cabinet beside the front door, discovering a package of popcorn and a deck of cards. The latter was tossed onto the coffee table and then she walked across the room to use the microwave. Paula managed to light the fireplace, offering a pleasant warmth against the cooling temperature outside. She sat on the rightmost chair and kept her eyes on the window across from her, as if expecting the bogeyman to appear.

Jason would indeed, but only when the time was right. He wasn’t the same newbie killer who’d ambushed the campfire at Packanack, causing everyone to scatter. This Jason preferred the stealth approach, which also had the benefit of keeping him safe. He’d been resurrected, but that didn’t mean he was immortal. There had to be a way to kill an undead, like chopping the head off or stabbing the brain, and he'd likely taken this into account.

It was terrifying to think Jason could die again, but Chad didn’t let it show. He focused on the popping sounds, the smell of butter, and the flickering flames. When the popcorn was ready, Sissy poured it into a bowl and brought it to the table. She sat across from Paula and grinned at Chad.

“Up for some strip poker?”

Chad shook his head. That would a great way to turn this cabin into a bloodbath. “What if a kid wanders here?”

Sissy sighed and grabbed the deck of cards. “You got a point. Old Maid and Go Fish, here we come.”

So many rounds were played that Chad couldn’t stop yawning every few minutes. On top of his boredom, his stomach was aching from not eating dinner, so he helped himself to a few handfuls of popcorn while Sissy and Paula played a tiebreaker game of Go Fish.

Sissy glanced up from her fan of cards. “Pick a card.”

“I don’t wanna play anymore.” Paula placed her cards face down on the table, looking just as bored as the poor prince.

Sissy lowered her cards to her lap and hunched her back, pleading with Paula. “C’mon, pick a card.”

“I really don’t.” Paula grabbed a few pieces of popcorn as she stood up. She stepped to the fire, which was still lively, then turned back to Sissy.

Perking up, Sissy gestured excitedly with her hands, one hand still gripping her cards. “Okay, okay, I got a great game.” She fiddled with a few cards that were beside the popcorn bowl and grinned at Paula. “It’s called Camp Blood.”

“Great.”

“Now the object of the game is first you take this jack of spades.” Sissy picked the card out of her fan and showed it to Paula. “Which is Jason.” She put the card down and sorted through the others in her hands. “And then you have all these face cards which represent counselors. The queen of hearts is me.” She pressed it to her chest, grinned again, and placed it with the joker. “Now, who do you guys wanna be out of these cards?”

Paula’s shoulders slumped as she glanced at the ceiling. “Come on, Sissy.”

“Okay, you be the queen of diamonds and Chad can be the king of hearts.” Sissy placed the cards in front of them. “What you do is shuffle Jason up in these cards here... and put ‘em in piles. The piles represent cabins.” She put the deck down and gestured animatedly with her hands, thinking she’d invented the best card game ever. In reality, Chad was almost falling asleep. “Now, the object of the game is to find out which cabin Jason is in.”

Paula frowned and put her hands on her hips. “Megan didn’t say when she was coming back. Maybe I should call her.”

Sissy helped herself to some of the popcorn that littered the table. “You wanna bet she took him a loaf of bread with a saw hidden in it?” She giggled at her joke.

Paula sighed and smiled resignedly as she walked to the phone nearby. “I’m gonna call her.” She picked it up and started to dial the number. “Hopefully her dad doesn’t kill her for checking up on that guy. If she’s not back by the morning, I’ll have some words for her. We need every hand we can get with this many kids.”

A little girl shrieked, making Paula slam the phone down. Her eyes widened and so did Sissy’s as they rushed to the side door, followed by Chad. The sound had been startling, but he was able to keep his composure under control by remembering that Jason would never hurt a kid. Sissy and Paula, however, didn’t have that knowledge. They jogged to the girls’ cabin and Paula whipped the door open, bolting inside. A curly-haired girl pointed at Nancy's bed.

“She saw a monster!”

“Who did?” Paula asked.

The girl pointed more insistently. It was clearly Nancy who’d seen Jason. Another girl was standing at the end of her bed, and everyone else was looking at her from theirs. Paula and Sissy walked over there and knelt beside her.

“It’s okay, we’re here.” Paula grasped Nancy’s hand gently.

Sissy touched her hand. “Yeah honey, we’re here.”

“So what happened?”

“There’s a monster. He was after me, and he wanted to kill me!”

“Where?” Sissy asked.

“He was everywhere.”

“Oh, you mean you had a bad dream,” Paula said.

“No, it was real. Just like on TV.”

Paula tucked Nancy’s hair behind her ear. “Okay, sweetie. What was your name again?”

“Nancy.”

“Well, Nancy. I’m Paula. Remember?” She glanced sideways at Sissy and pointed at her. “This is Sissy. And that handsome guy over there is Chad. We’re gonna be right outside _all_ night, protecting you from any monsters. Okay?”

Nancy nodded.

“So no more bad dreams can come around here, huh?”

Nancy shook her head and so did Sissy, confirming that any bad dreams would be kept at bay thanks to the three protectors.

“Good. Okay, lay down,” Paula whispered. She tucked Nancy in and gave her hair a reassuring stroke. “You’ll be all right.”

Nancy stared at the closed window on the opposite side. The burning fireplace had warmed the room, but she shivered and tugged the blanket over her head. Jason could’ve been snooping through the windows in search of a counselor to stalk, or maybe he’d simply been curious about the kids. Satisfied that it had only been a bad dream, Paula and Sissy left the cabin, and Chad pulled the door shut.

“Hey wait a minute...” Paula frowned. “Where’s Cort? We haven’t seen him for hours.”

“I dunno.” Sissy strolled towards the counselors’ cabin with her. “He said he was gonna call somebody after storytime. Said something about checkin’ out things that go _bump_ in the night.” She grinned at Paula and then glanced over her shoulder to wink at Chad.

“What about Lizabeth and Darren?” he asked.

“I dunno about them either. Maybe they forgot to bring something.” Sissy pointed at the spot where the Volkswagen Beetle used to be parked. “Look, it’s gone.”

Paula’s frown deepened. “Leave without telling us? We should look for them. What if they got stranded somewhere?”

“I’ll go,” Chad offered, not wanting to get stuck playing more cards. “You two should stay close to the kids just in case. They never did find that killer from Pinehurst.”

“Thanks for reminding me,” Sissy muttered. “We got some crazy folks out there. Be careful, okay?”

“Yeah.”

The girls were so focused on getting inside the cabin that they didn’t notice the head counselors’ car to the far south. For Lizabeth and Darren to try leaving in the middle of the night, they must’ve had faith in their assistants. But were they still alive? The car’s lights were off, and despite the lamppost nearby, those two were too far away to see if they were moving around.

Chad waited until the cabin door closed before heading there. Instead of passing through the archway, he stuck to the trees on the side of the road, stepping carefully to avoid tripping over the forest debris. As he got closer, the revving of the engine confirmed that the car’s occupants weren’t corpses, and Darren’s voice became audible.

“I told you we should’ve waited until the morning.”

Lizabeth stopped trying to get the car started. “And I told you we shouldn’t have relied on donations. When the kids wake up, they’re gonna want food that's actually edible.”

“Ugh.” Darren leaned his elbow against the passenger door and pressed his palm to his forehead. “I say we get out and walk back. This is going nowhere.”

“Well no shit, Sherlock. The car stalled.” Lizabeth turned her head to the tall figure that had been standing a meter from the hood for the past minute. “Darren, we better run.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve seen enough horror movies to know that any weirdo wearing a mask is never friendly.”

Darren finally noticed Jason, who was gripping his spear in both hands. “We don’t have to run. I have a better idea how to get this creep out of here.”

Jason took a step towards the car, now standing a foot away.

“Any time now, Darren.”

“We’re gonna scare him.”

“_We’re_ gonna scare _him_,” Lizabeth repeated in disbelief, not taking her eyes off Jason.

“That’s right.”

“And how are we gonna do that? It’s not like I can pretend to run him over.”

Darren opened the glove compartment and pulled something out. It made Lizabeth’s eyes widen.

“Where’d you get that?”

“Don’t worry about it. Just stay cool.”

“Stay cool? Ya ain’t Dirty Harry, now stop it!”

Darren exited the car, revealing a revolver in his right hand, and Chad’s heart began to race. “All right, scumbag.” He aimed the gun at Jason. “Get out of the road.”

Jason didn’t move.

Darren cocked the revolver’s hammer. His hands and voice shook. “Now.”

With a swift strike using the bottom of his spear, Jason smashed a headlight. He was fine where he was.

Lizabeth leaned close to the passenger window. “Darren, get back in here right now! He’ll kill you.”

“Not if I get him—”

“What’s going on here?” Chad asked, emerging from the forest to stand beside the car.

They turned their heads to look at him, and Jason used the moment of distraction by impaling Darren through the stomach. He could only gurgle as the gun fell from his grasp. Lizabeth screamed, watching through the blood-splattered windshield, and she didn’t stop until the corpse was lying behind Jason on the road. Using his spear, he’d lifted his victim over his head with such force that Darren’s face had reached the grass. Now he had his sight set on Lizabeth as he aimed his spear at her.

“Oh no!”

She leaned out of the way before the spear could gut her. The entire windshield shattered, sending glass shards onto her body. She crawled out of the passenger side, sobbing and reaching for help, but Chad didn’t offer assistance. He was frozen, one hand covering his mouth as he backed away. Jason stopped her from climbing to her feet by pressing a boot on her back.

“Wait, please! I have money!”

She gasped as she fumbled in her jacket pocket, pulling out a wallet. A credit card and two twenty-dollar bills were removed and offered over her shoulder, but Jason wasn’t interested. He raised his spear and impaled her through the back of her head, silencing her loud breaths. Her arm flopped to the ground, and with a crunch, the spear was removed from her skull. Blood and brain tissue were stuck to it, but Chad was able to keep his popcorn in his stomach.

Jason’s head jerked up and his eye locked on to him. This game had been played before, but instead of warning the others and screwing up his plans, Chad bolted into the forest. He silently cursed himself for not grabbing a flashlight. He wouldn’t even have to pretend to get lost while the others were getting killed. The dense foliage above was preventing the moon from lighting a path through the darkness, so he slowed down to get his bearings once he’d put some distance between himself and the nonexistent threat.

Heavy footsteps hadn’t followed him, leaving only the sound of crickets. But as he listened closely, something else was heard. It was a faint song—I’m No Animal by Felony. If he followed the music, he could find the runaway Cort. And so Chad did, keeping his arms outstretched and his eyes mindful for anything that could smack him in the face or trip him. After what seemed like an eternity of fumbling through the forest, he came across three cabins with a trail leading to each one. The trail extended west and north, but the music led him to the west where an illuminated RV was parked, its hood facing this way.

Cort hadn’t been joking with Sissy when he’d mentioned things that go bump in the night. The RV was bouncing, making Chad feel like a pervert just by looking at it. And he wasn’t the only one who’d followed the noise. Jason was also here, standing on the left side with his head tilted, as if he couldn’t understand why a vehicle would be bouncing. His boots didn’t make a sound as he circled around the hood. The RV had a cord sticking out of it, attached to an exterior outlet. With a sharp tug and a shower of sparks, he put an end to the music and turned the lights off.

That was Chad’s cue to hide. Any second, these sex fiends would come out to investigate, but luckily there were lots of hiding spots nearby. He hid behind a thick tree and peeked around the side to watch the gory proceedings. Now that the blaring music had stopped, voices were heard. A female, presumably Cort’s girlfriend, swore.

“Fuck! Wait a second, I’ll… Cort, you finished already,” she whined.

“Oh c’mon, wasn’t that the end of the song?”

“Great. Just great.” Her dark form moved to the front of the RV. “This thing is burned out. Friggin’ Horace is gonna have my butt.”

Cort chuckled. “Not before I have it.”

She turned to look at him. “God, Cort...”

“By the way, who’s Horace?”

“My friggin’ stepfather. An asshole that lives with us.” She knelt on top of the driver’s seat and looked over the edge, spotting the ripped-out cord. “How’d that happen?”

“What?”

She crossed her arms and walked to the middle of the aisle. “Can you go out and plug the cord back in?” she asked sweetly.

“Who unplugged the cord?”

“Smokey the friggin’ bear! I don’t know, just go do it.”

“Do you know how _cold_ it is out there?”

“I don’t give a shit, Cort! Put your balls on and do it!”

“You’re a real pain in the ass,” he muttered. “Major pain in the ass.”

“Will you hurry up and get dressed? I gotta get this fuckmobile back before Horace finds out I took it… hurry up!”

Cort opened the door after more urging. “All right! I’m going, I’m going! Okay?”

His wide eyes looked around as he crept along the side of the RV. A giant wasn’t waiting for him at the hood or on the other side. He removed the cord from the vehicle and examined the connector, then pulled the end towards him, discovering the frayed wires. “Wow...”

“Cort!”

He’d failed to notice the creeping girl who suddenly appeared beside him. His flinch caused his back to slam against the RV. “Jesus, Nikki!”

“What are you _doing_?”

He raised the frayed end of the cord. “Look at this.”

“What happened to it?”

“I don’t know, but I say we make this place a memory right now. Unless you wanna end up like this.”

He handed the cord to Nikki and circled to the other side. Fog had crept through the forest, making it look more ominous, and Chad almost revealed himself as he rubbed his cold arms. Despite Nikki’s wary glances, she didn't see him. She didn’t see the giant either, not until it was too late. Jason gripped her throat, preventing her from crying out. He jammed the spear into her open mouth, feeding her some brain tissue in the process, and her eyes rolled back as blood filled her throat.

“Nikki, somebody’s out there. What if it’s that guy Jason?”

When her body stopped twitching, Jason eased the spear out of her mouth to avoid spraying his clothes with blood. Even among his murderous activities, there was some cuteness to be found in the care he exercised. Still gripping her throat, he lowered the body onto the trail.

“Hey Nikki, what are you doin’ over there? Takin’ a dump?” Cort waited a few seconds for an answer that didn’t come. “I’ll take off without you!”

Jason remained hidden beside the front of the RV, frozen from head to toe, waiting for Cort to circle back. And he did. They’d been a squabbling couple, but this guy cared enough about his girlfriend to check up on her. His concern resulted in him being gripped by the throat and forced to his knees. He grabbed the thick forearm, trying to wrench it away to no avail, and he craned his neck to look into Jason’s eye. The spear rose until the sharp end was aimed over his mouth, and with a rapid stab, he was impaled down the middle. Jason released his spear and took a step back, his eye following the point of entry to the point of exit. He’d taken the dump joke seriously. This weapon would require a thorough cleaning.

He pulled it out and the body flopped backward. An intestine had gotten hooked onto the barb, making Chad gag, and the noise drew Jason’s attention. He wiped the spear on Cort’s plaid shirt, freeing the intestine and smearing gore over the fabric. Chad had seen more than enough of this. He clutched his stomach and walked east along the trail, goosebumps covering his bare arms. There was something else that had to be discovered before he could report his findings to the counselors. He had to see if Steven and Annette were dead at the campfire. If they were, that would leave only Paula, Sissy, and Megan if she returned from the sheriff’s department.

Now that there was a trail to follow, getting back to the campfire was easy. It led him to the road that stretched north, but his destination was further east. Glowing embers were all that remained, and sure enough, a naked Steven was lying on top of Annette. Multiple spear wounds littered his back. In a fury of stabs, Jason had pierced both bodies, creating a large pool of blood on the blanket.

“I knew he’d come back.”

Chad flinched at the sight of Tommy beside him. “Why are you here? What happened to calling you on the radio?”

Tommy’s gaze didn’t leave the corpses. “I knew you were here. That was enough.”

“What if the cops come? I was just about to warn the others. If they see you, you’ll be sent back.”

“No cops. This is between me and Jason. Once I buy the supplies, I’ll kill him again.”

“Tommy, that would be suicide. Let the cops take care of—”

Sirens sounded in the distance, approaching rapidly, and Tommy sprinted into the shadows. Sissy or Paula must’ve gotten worried and called the police. Great. With cops roaming around, Jason would be at risk. Could a zombie survive a bullet to the brain or heart? This was a question that Chad never wanted the answer to. He strode back to the road and turned south, heading for the Volkswagen Beetle. It had been spotted by the sheriff, who silenced the sirens and parked facing the hood. The flashing red lights were left on, illuminating the gory scene.

Chad sighed as he jogged down the road. The last thing he wanted to do was deal with Mike and his asshole deputy, but why delay the inevitable? And if he was lucky, maybe he could watch Jason murder them. They exited the car, slammed the doors shut, and squatted beside Lizabeth’s body on the passenger side. Having no desire to get shot, Chad gave them a fair warning that he was on his way.

“Sheriff!”

They quickly rose to their feet and turned their heads, thankfully not reaching for their holstered guns. Mike snorted as Chad reached them.

“Well look who’s here. Did you bring your crazy friend too?”

“Uh, hello? I work as a counselor here.”

Mike raised a finger. “Don’t start with me, kid. I need answers, not bullshit. My daughter already gave me enough of that tonight.”

Chad sighed exasperatedly. Him and his bright ideas. Watching them get murdered should’ve come first. “Sissy and Paula got worried because they hadn’t seen Cort and the head counselors. I offered to look for them and came across their bodies.”

“Why the hell didn’t you call it in?”

“The killer was nearby and spotted me, so I had to run. I found other bodies near an RV to the west. And even more at a campfire to the east. Six total.”

“Let me guess. The killer was something tall and rotting. Jesus, I should’ve locked you up with that maniac and driven you both to the clinic.”

Chad crossed his arms. “It’s a bit late for that.”

“Now that’s where you’re wrong.” Mike leaned into his car and grabbed the radio. “We got multiple homicides at Camp Forest Green. Bring the squad in.” He put the radio back and narrowed his eyes at Chad. “Seems like your fellow maniac wants everyone to believe Jason has returned. I’m gonna find that kid and when I do, he’ll never see the light of day again.”

“What happened to innocent until proven guilty?”

“I don’t need you telling me how to do my job.” Mike jerked his head towards the side of the road. “Stay out of the way so my men can do their jobs.”

“Can’t I go inside? It’s cold out here.”

“I don’t give a rat's ass. You’ll need to show us the bodies.”

It was pointless to continue arguing with this mule of a man. Chad stood on the grass, shivering as he listened for more sirens. Evidently they hadn’t been heard by the counselors or kids, otherwise there would be an audience here. Jason still had a chance to kill Sissy and Paula discreetly. But would he take it? Chad sensed eyes on him and they didn’t belong to Mike or Rick. The buffoons were focused on checking the corpses with their ungloved hands.

The sirens arrived within a few minutes. There were two cruisers, both of which belonged to the Forest Green police force, along with a big ambulance. This wasn’t much of a squad, and Chad wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed when the two male paramedics emerged. Neither of them were Roy. After assessing the bodies, which were clearly dead, the paramedics unloaded two stretchers from the ambulance and then waited for photos to be taken. They covered the bodies in white sheets, lifted them onto the stretchers, secured them with straps, and loaded Lizabeth first.

Meanwhile, Mike was briefing Officer Pappas and Officer Thornton about the situation. Two other officers were shining their flashlights on the surrounding trees, searching for a killer who had the sense not to show himself among people with guns. Especially an asshole like Mike who would fire without a moment’s hesitation. Standing beside his vehicle, he shot the occasional glare at Chad while speaking with Pappas and Thornton.

“I want all officers, units, and stations within a fifty-mile radius alerted about this wacko kid.”

“Yes, sir,” Pappas replied.

“You have his vehicle description. I want roadblocks—”

“Sheriff, come over here!” Rick yelled from the forest.

Mike jogged towards him, disappearing among the trees. His deputy had likely found a paintballer’s corpse, but Chad couldn’t go there to confirm it. Pappas and Thornton were striding towards him with grim faces, promising a fun night ahead.

“We need to see the bodies,” Pappas demanded.

Sticking to the trails, Chad wordlessly led them all the way to the RV. Crickets sung their song, footsteps crunched, and his teeth chattered as he stood near the two bodies. Neither of the officers had the consideration to offer him their warm jackets, nor had they offered to drive to the location. These two were quickly climbing the ranks of the murder list, their only focus being the examination of the bodies. They radioed the discovery, made him backtrack to the campfire, and did more analysis while he froze his ass off.

“Can I go now?”

The officers glanced at each other and then Pappas nodded. They had those roadblocks to set up, which they should’ve done first. But alas, intelligence was too much to ask of this police force. “Lock yourself inside with the kids.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that.”

Chad had a different plan. The kids would be safe from Jason, so the counselors' cabin was his next destination. At least there would be a chance to warm up, assuming organs weren’t strewn around everywhere. That wouldn’t make for a pleasant time.

He arrived within minutes, zooming at a full sprint with a few seconds between bursts. There had been no sight of Mike or Rick, though the cruiser was still parked to the far south. No Tommy either. He was probably lying low to prevent himself from being dragged back to the jail cell. But Paula and Sissy were in their cabin, not showing any signs of having heard the commotion. Paula was sleeping soundly on her bed with the phone beside her, and Sissy was listening to a walkman and reading a gay porn magazine on her own bed.

As quietly as he could, Chad opened the front door. A bombardment of questions from one girl would be enough. He closed it just as softly and tiptoed to the lit fireplace, followed by Sissy’s creaking footsteps. She sat on the chair across from him and wrung her hands.

“So let’s hear it. Find anything?”

Chad weighed his options. He could tell her the truth and risk having her freak out, or lie and hope Jason would kill her before she discovered the truth. The cops were occupied with collecting bodies and finding Tommy, so the second option seemed to be the best.

“Cort was having sex with his girlfriend in an RV. Lizabeth and Darren left a note on the kitchen table about going to the convenience store. They said they might be a while because there was some stuff to get from home.”

“Phew. Good to hear.”

The tension left Sissy’s body and then reappeared a second later. A shadow had darted across the open window beside the front door. She stood up and slowly approached it, but only trees were in sight. As she turned away, heavy footsteps drew her back to the window.

“All right, who’s out there!”

Paula woke up and blinked groggily. “What’s going on?”

Listening for more sounds, Sissy waited a few seconds before replying. “Think I hear someone foolin’ around out there. You hear it, pretty boy?”

“Yeah. Sounded like footsteps.”

Paula sighed and smiled faintly. “It’s gotta be Cort. You know how he _loves_ to try and scare us. Teach him a lesson.”

She pulled her blanket around herself and lay on her side, facing the wall. More footsteps sounded outside the window, and Sissy’s wariness turned into a mischievous grin. She walked to the table beside her bed and grabbed the open can of lemon-lime soda. Crouching low, she returned to the window and tipped the can over the edge. The soda made a distinct noise as it emptied on its victim, sounding like liquid striking plastic. It was followed by a muffled sigh and footsteps stomping away.

Sissy grinned at her victory as she stood up and backed away, but it didn’t last long, her expression becoming wary again. Why would Cort just walk away? And why was the front door now open? It creaked and swayed on its hinges as the wind strengthened. She glanced at it before creeping towards the window. This would not end well.

Jason popped out and gripped her shoulders, pulling her through the window. Fluffy slippers were left behind. Her shriek caused Paula’s eyes to snap open and she rolled onto her other side to look at the window. Bones crunched outside and something was ripped, but her lips merely curled in annoyance.

“You guys, try not to wake the kids.”

Pretending to have drifted off, Chad rubbed his eyes and slowly got up from his chair. His heartbeat was far more quick. Blood was unmistakably dripping, and whatever that body part was, it thumped to the ground. Paula was less familiar with the sounds of murder, so she rolled her eyes and went back to sleep. But Chad’s curiosity didn’t allow him that luxury. He walked to the window and leaned over the edge, spotting a lovely decapitated head and its accompanying corpse.

He shrugged and turned to the door. He’d already seen one of those. It was strange how his heartbeat had returned to normal this fast, but such were the ways of desensitization to these things. He stepped outside, surprised by the missing corpse that had been there less than a minute ago. Jason wasn’t fooling around tonight. By hiding the corpse, he could prevent more cops from rushing to the scene, though the big pool of blood was a telltale sign that something nasty had occurred. Not much he could do about that, and he’d been forced to leave his spear here while carrying the body. Chad didn’t pick it up, knowing what would happen if Mike or his lackey saw him with the weapon.

As he looked over his shoulder, the cabin’s warmth almost drew him back inside. But that wasn’t what a normal guy would do in this situation. The kids had to be checked up on to ensure their safety. Tommy had mentioned the need to buy supplies, but what if he was still around, watching this whole thing from the shadows? Chad didn’t relish the idea of an interrogation from him, so he strode to the boys’ cabin, putting a false sense of urgency in his steps. The curtains beside the door were partially open, allowing him to confirm that all twelve boys were sleeping in their beds. But the silence didn’t last. A little girl appeared around the corner, not noticing him as she walked towards the counselors’ cabin, hugging herself.

It was Nancy. She’d either seen Jason again or she’d had a bad dream. Not wanting to wake the boys and cause a commotion, Chad followed from a distance, the crunch of his footsteps going unheard by Nancy. She was focused on getting to the place of safety—the counselors who’d promised to protect her. Her softer footsteps came to a stop near the spear. She grabbed it, grunting from exertion and only managing to lift it a few inches. The poor girl didn’t know where Jason had shoved that gross spear, which was cleaner than it used to be, but still full of bacteria.

“Nancy?”

She released the spear and turned to him, on the verge of tears. “I saw someone at my window.”

“What did he or she look like?”

“It was a shadow man. I can’t sleep, I’m scared he’ll come back.”

“Let’s go inside and tell Paula. She’ll know what to do.”

Nancy nodded and entered the darkened cabin, creeping towards the bed. Paula had closed the windows and turned the lamps off in an effort to get a better sleep, but the fire continued to burn, providing enough light to get around easily. Nancy touched her shoulder, causing Paula to gasp and lean up on her elbows. She activated the lamp on her nightstand and squinted at Nancy’s face.

“Paula, there’s a scary man and red stuff outside.”

She sighed and sat on the edge of her bed. “It’s just Cort and Sissy playing jokes. You know, trying to scare each other?”

Nancy furrowed her eyebrows. “Why?”

“Well, grown-ups think it’s funny to be scared.”

“But they’re scaring _me_.”

“I’m sure they don’t mean to.” Paula’s eyes widened as she checked her watch. It was after midnight. “I can’t believe it’s that late! No one called.” She grabbed the rotary phone and placed it onto her lap. The numbers two and six were quickly dialed, belonging to the sheriff’s department. “I better—”

“Who are you calling?”

Paula’s head jerked up and her finger paused in the dialing wheel, as if she was debating whether to worry Nancy further by calling the police. Letting out a breathy chuckle, she put the handset back into the holder and placed the phone onto the bed. “Why don’t the three of us find Sissy and Cort first?” She grabbed her cardigan off the blanket and began to put it on as she stood up. “Then _you_ can go to bed, little lady.”

“Wait. What if they try to scare us?”

Paula smiled at Nancy. “Then we’ll scare them right back! I’m sure Chad has plenty of good ideas.”

Nancy crossed her arms and glared at him sternly. “Hey… did you put the bugs in my bed?”

“Me? No way, I’d never do something like that. The mean boys did it.”

Her features softened. “Okay.” She grabbed Chad’s hand and then Paula’s. “Let’s go!”

Paula made a game of sneaking around the cabin’s exterior in search of the missing counselors. It went on for several minutes as they darted from corner to corner and peeked around trees. In true horror fashion, the girls didn’t see Jason standing on the road nearby, making no effort to hide himself. His spear was back in his hands, waiting for the right moment to strike, and his gaze followed the brief journey to the girls’ cabin.

“They must be somewhere else.” Paula released Nancy’s hand and gave her a reassuring smile. “Let’s leave them to their silly pranks and get some rest.”

She opened the door quietly and walked towards Nancy’s bed as Chad closed it. Nancy was in no rush to get there, wanting to hold the prince’s hand for a bit longer. When she reached it, she reluctantly let go and climbed on. Chad helped tuck the blanket around her body while Paula did the other side. Nancy’s round eyes flicked between them.

“What if I get scared again?”

“Shhh.” Paula knelt beside the bed and smiled again. “When I was a little girl and got scared, I used to do something. I closed my eyes and said a little prayer. And you know what?”

Nancy shook her head.

“Pretty soon, the scary things went away. They couldn’t hurt me. I bet it’ll work for you too.” Paula leaned over and kissed Nancy on the forehead. “Good night.”

“Do I get a kiss from him too?”

Paula winked at her. “I’m sure if you ask him nicely, he’ll give you a kiss.”

“May I please have a kiss?” Nancy asked, blushing as she looked at Chad.

“Of course you can.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently. “Good night, Nancy.”

“Good night, Chad.”

As he straightened his back, he ignored the sight of the looming giant, who stared through the window beside him. Jason’s head was tilted down to focus his gaze on Nancy’s forehead. Like before, the girls were oblivious.

Paula patted her on the shoulder. “See you in the morning.”

She walked slowly to the door, looking everywhere but the line of windows to her left. Jason mirrored her steps, now focused on watching her, and Chad followed closely. He couldn’t believe how clueless this girl was. She was kind, but she wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. After she opened the door and stepped outside, Chad shut it behind them. The wind was still blowing and here he was, wearing shorts and a sleeveless shirt. Paula might’ve offered her cardigan to him if she hadn’t been this rattled.

An eagle called out, roused from sleep, and rustling sounds made her head jerk towards the forest. They were coming from the side where Jason had stalked from. She walked to the corner of the cabin, wrapping her cardigan tighter around herself.

“Cort?”

Nobody was there. Paula's eyes were almost ready to pop out of her head. She broke into a jog towards the counselors’ cabin, seeking the safety of its walls, but slowed to a stop once she and Chad neared the doorway.

“Didn't you close this when we left?” she asked.

"Yeah."

She chuckled nervously. “I guess it was just the wind. Or maybe Lizzie and Darren came back. I mean, their car isn’t here, but...”

“I’ll check it out. Wait here.”

Paula shook her head. “I think we should stick together. This is a bit weird.”

This was only Jason being spooky by opening the door like he’d done earlier. Chad stepped inside and Paula followed, pulling the door closed. She looked around warily as she walked to the phone on her bed.

“I should call for help. This is more than a bit weird. They wouldn’t have been gone this long.”

She sat on the edge of her bed and lifted the phone onto her lap. Nothing happened when she tried to dial. She slowly lowered the handset into its holder and put it back on the bed. Jason had played this game four times, so naturally he’d destroyed the fuse box. Probably before Paula had tried dialing earlier. She just hadn’t noticed until now.

As the wind continued to howl, the front door swung open with a creak. She gasped and stared at it for a few seconds before standing up. Even Chad had flinched at the suddenness. He kept a safe distance from the doorway while Paula approached it cautiously. It closed by itself, making her gasp again and bring her hands to her chest. How could it do that from the inside? A ghost had to be playing tricks. But as she giggled to herself, she believed the source to be nothing more than the wind, which caused the door to sway against the frame.

She reached out to close it more firmly, but it burst open before she could. Shrieking her head off, she backed away from Jason, almost bumping into Chad. He jumped aside just as the kill sequence began. Jason placed a hand on the back of her neck, forcing her knees to the floor, then thrust his spear into her mouth as she looked up at him. It came out the other side and dug into the floor at an angle, her outstretched arms resembling wings. After inspecting his work briefly, he stepped beside her and gripped the lower end of his spear with one hand. He lifted it up and walked forward, pulling it out with disgusting squelches. The lifeless body fell onto its stomach, a pool of blood forming under the head.

This wasn’t the time for a hug, but that was all Chad wanted to do. Except for the kiss and the brief embrace this morning, there hadn’t been much contact. He lifted his arms slightly and then let them flop down. There was still work for Jason to do. Tommy and Megan were unaccounted for, and the cops were only a few minutes to the south. There would be time for a hug later. Before Jason morphed away, he made a heart shape with his hands, and Chad smiled despite the events that had occurred thus far.

Maybe he could take it easy for the rest of the night. Just stay with the girls in their cabin, pretending to watch over Nancy after her nightmare. But things were never that easy, especially when Tommy was involved. Still, the idea was better than spending the night with a dead body. It would only be a temporary stay until more events unfolded elsewhere.

Chad was about to leave when Jason appeared in the doorway, holding a blue jacket and black sweatpants. Smiling again, Chad walked over to him and accepted the clothes. He slipped the jacket on first, sighing in pleasure at the immediate warmth. Jason’s huge frame blocked the view of anyone who might be nearby, and with his keen senses, there was no fear of being discovered anyway. After transferring his keys to the sweatpants, Chad removed his shorts and handed them to him. Jason crumpled them into a ball and stuffed them inside his pocket as Chad slid his pants on. Once they’d been pulled up, he disappeared.

As Chad walked outside, heading for the girls’ cabin, he whispered a thanks. His warm jacket and pants stopped the chilly wind, though he looked forward to sitting by the fire. Unfortunately that would have to wait. Jason was already inside the cabin, stalking down the aisle. The only sounds were soft breathing from the sleeping girls, squeaking hamsters, and rustling leaves that blew through the doorway. Chad peeked around the frame, holding his breath. Was it simple curiosity that had drawn Jason here? He turned his head left and right, checking each bed.

At the end of the right side, Nancy was awake, holding her blanket over her mouth. She let out a quiet sob as Jason passed her bed. The sound made him whirl around to look at her. He approached her slowly and stopped beside. As he leaned down, Nancy squeezed her eyes shut, clasped her hands, and began to pray. The words flew out of her mouth.

“Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep...”

Jason’s masked face got closer. Did he want to give her a goodnight kiss too?

“If I should... die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.”

She continued to pray as a door slammed outside. Jason jerked his head towards the doorway and straightened his back. He silenced his footsteps to avoid waking the kids, and after a few seconds had passed, Nancy opened her eyes and peeked under her bed. Her prayer had seemingly worked, sending the scary monster away. She sighed in relief, but kept her eyes open in case he returned.

There was no sight of Jason when Chad turned around. The door slam had come from the main hub. It could be Tommy with his truck, Megan with her car, or the cops deciding to investigate deeper in the campground. Probably the third option. Sure enough, when Chad rounded the corner of the boys’ cabin, two cruisers became visible. Mike, Pappas, and Thornton were talking. Interestingly, Rick wasn’t present.

“So what’s the story here?” Thornton asked Mike.

“Why don’t you boys nose around. I gotta break the news to Megan’s friends about what happened, assuming that kid didn’t already.”

“That kid is right here,” Chad called out.

Mike narrowed his eyes. “Where you been? Not with your crazy friend. We got him behind bars where he belongs and he’s gonna stay there until this shit blows over.”

“I stayed outside the girls’ cabin for a while. One of them had a bad dream and thought a monster was around.”

“Did you tell the other counselors about what went down?”

“Yeah. Last I saw them, they were holed up inside that small cabin. Sissy and Paula.” Chad hadn’t closed the door, but someone had.

“Huh.” Mike looked around suspiciously as he addressed the two officers. “Holler if you see anything.”

“Like what?” Pappas asked.

Mike turned to him. “Anything that don’t belong! And don’t wake the kids.”

He walked towards the counselors’ cabin, where Paula’s corpse remained. Jason wouldn’t have had enough time to remove it. Thornton watched him leave and then gestured to Pappas, who was more concerned about smoothing his hair.

“Come on, handsome.”

Pappas smiled and began his quest for evidence with Thornton. These goons would likely be dead within minutes. Same with Mike, who suffered from asshole syndrome. He hadn’t provided guidance about what should be done next, so Chad opted to snoop around while pretending to enjoy the night air. The supposed killer, Tommy, was behind bars. There was nothing to worry about. He strolled towards the archway, listening to Mike bang on the cabin door.

“Girls? It’s Sheriff Garris.” After a few seconds of silence, he opened the door and stared at the bloody scene, then strode towards Chad. “When did you last see them?”

Chad stopped walking and shrugged. “I don’t have a watch. Maybe thirty minutes ago?”

“Thirty minutes...” Mike halted in front of Chad, his stern face becoming thoughtful.

“Something wrong? For once, you don’t look like a bug crawled up your ass.”

Mike clenched his jaw and hands. “If I had my way, kid, they’d be pumping your ass full of formaldehyde. You gotta watch that mouth. And yeah, something’s wrong. The wacko’s been with my deputy.”

“Well, the ‘something tall and rotting’ might be more than a legend after all.”

He snorted. “I’ll believe it when I see it. Now go do something useful by keeping watch on the kids.”

Chad didn’t need to hear more. He strode towards the boys’ cabin, intending to check on them first, but a flashlight caught his eye before he arrived. It belonged to Thornton, identifiable by the blond hair under his hat. He was heading for the dock, which was illuminated by the line of lampposts, their hanging shades creaking as they swung in the wind. Shining his light over the planks, he walked halfway up and then turned around to walk back. He didn’t notice the sneaky Chad behind the tree. Or the murderous Jason that emerged from a dense cluster of foliage.

Thornton made another pass along the dock, searching for unknown evidence among the basic planks. His flashlight slowly scanned the trees to the right, where Jason stood nearby. His left hand was gripping his spear, and his right was resting on his throwing knife pouch. Did he want to waste a gift on this unimportant officer? His decision had to be made fast. The flashlight had spotted him.

“Hey!”

Thornton reached for his gun. Almost too fast to see, Jason flicked his spear to his right hand. One foot stepped forward, bracing for a devastating throw as he raised the weapon over his shoulder. He hurled it towards Thornton’s head, seeking to disrupt his aim. A gunshot ripped through the night. The spear arrived before the bullet, piercing him with such strength that it went straight through into the water. Calmly tilting his head to the side, Jason avoided the bullet, which penetrated a tree instead. He strode to his victim who was now lying in a rowboat, having been sent backward from the force. Leaning down, he swept his hand in the water until he found his spear, then disappeared into thin air as footsteps approached.

“What’s going on over here?” Mike asked, flicking his flashlight across the trees until he discovered Chad. “I thought I told you to keep watch on the kids?”

“I heard a gunshot and ran over.” Chad pointed at the rowboat. “Officer Thornton, he’s...”

Mike’s gaze fixated on the gaping hole in the middle of Thornton’s face. “God, we gotta protect those kids. The psycho could be capable of anything. You check on the boys and I’ll handle the girls.”

Chad sprinted to the boys’ cabin, which was less than a minute away. He opened the door just enough to scan the beds on each side. Everyone was sitting up, some clutching their teddy bears. “You all okay?

They nodded, their eyes wide with fear.

“Tyen, I’m putting you in charge. Barricade the door and don’t let anyone inside unless it's the sheriff, an officer, or a counselor. Understand?”

“Yeah.”

He slid off his bed and jogged to the door. Chad closed it and waited for the thump of the barricade before resuming the sprint. His next destination was the girls’ cabin, where Mike had only just arrived. One of his hands was gripping the knob and the other was braced against the door.

“Oh my god,” Mike whispered.

Chad stood on his tiptoes to look over Mike’s shoulder. The girls were also awake, staring fearfully at the doorway. The last bed on the right side was empty except for a dog plushie. Nancy was gone and Mike needed an answer from these scared girls.

“Where did she go?”

The girl beside Nancy’s bed shrugged. “She was gone when we woke up!”

Mike turned around and gripped Chad’s shoulders. “Listen to me. She can’t have gone very far. Find her, bring her back, and stay with these girls until I return. I have some business of my own.”

Chad nodded firmly. His shoulders were released and he strode towards the main hub to fulfill the order. Where would Nancy have gone? The counselors’ cabin most likely. She would’ve seen Paula’s corpse and gotten spooked, then searched for a cop. But Pappas wasn’t at the cruisers, and with the size of this campground, he could be anywhere. Chad tried his luck with the cabins to the east. This was the road that led to the wooden gate that was now open.

Things were beginning to make sense. Tommy wouldn’t have walked to the camp when he had the truck at his disposal. He’d revealed himself at the campfire, so maybe he’d parked nearby. On this road perhaps? After the sirens had arrived, he’d been forced to retreat, but the main escape route had been blocked by cruisers and the ambulance. So he’d ended up busting through the gate and took a chance that it would lead him outside of the campground. If he’d taken the wrong trail in the forest, he would’ve come across the Voorhees House. But clearly he hadn’t. At some point, the cops had intercepted him and taken him back to the jail according to Mike.

Detective Chad struck again, but he didn’t have time to smile. A flashlight beamed in the darkness, accompanied by a gun that could fire indiscriminately if he startled its owner, so he hid around the corner of a firewood stack. Beside it, Pappas was creeping towards a cluster of tall bushes, his back facing this way.

“I’m gonna ask you one more time. Come on out of there.”

As the officer passed the stack of firewood, Nancy shrieked and clung to him from behind, having darted out of the forest. She started to cry and he turned to her. His flashlight hand gripped one of her arms as he crouched to her level.

“Hey, what are you doin’ out here? Now you go on back to bed.”

Her fingers dug into the fur on his jacket as she shook her head. “No, no! There’s a scary man!”

“Aww, what scary man?”

Jason burst out of the bushes, making Nancy scream and whirl around. She spotted Chad’s head poking out and rushed behind him, burying her face in his jacket. Meanwhile, Pappas had received a throwing knife to the forehead before he’d been able to fire a single shot, and his lifeless eyes were staring at the sky. Jason was going to great lengths to avoid getting injured and ruining his new clothes with holes and blood. He retrieved his knife, which was the one with the red lure, and wiped the blood on Pappas’ jacket before sliding it into his pouch.

Nancy held her breath as Jason sauntered towards the hiding spot. He paused a few feet away and extended his neck like a chicken, pretending to squint at something in the forest, then stomped towards it.

“Is he gone?” she whispered.

“Yeah.” Chad reached behind him and took Nancy’s hand. The tracks of her tears glistened in the moonlight. “Let’s go back to the cabin where it’s safe.”

“But the monster was in there. He looked at me.”

“I don’t think he hurts little girls and boys. Sometimes monsters have a kind heart. People just don’t understand them.”

“Oh. Like the snicklefritz that lives in my closet?”

“Uh… yeah. Exactly like that.”

Nancy stepped beside him and took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s go.”

She was proving herself capable of being brave under stress, but Chad didn’t want to risk having her see more violence. Instead of following the road to the main hub and going to the girls’ cabin from there, he led Nancy up a winding trail through the forest. It took them to the north and then curved west, leading to an intersection. A group of boys were coming from their cabin to the left. Mike was in front, holding a shotgun. He didn’t acknowledge Chad’s bravery for finding Nancy and bringing her back safely. He only jogged past him and flung open the door of the girls’ cabin. As he entered, he urged the boys to follow.

“Come on, kids. Come on!”

Nancy and Chad were the last ones to enter. He released her hand, his heart racing at the sight of the shotgun. Mike's gaze swept across the group of kids.

“I want you to listen to me very carefully. I want you all to lie down on the floor under the beds. Do not get up until I come back, you understand? Now move! Hurry! Come on!”

They scrambled into action, diving onto the floor between the beds and then wriggling under. Some took their dolls and teddy bears, and another even grabbed the hamster cage. Nancy also went, having understood the urgency in Mike’s voice.

“What about me?” Chad asked.

“Barricade the door and for God’s sake, don’t let these kids out of your sight!”

“Too late. I can't see them.”

A few snickers came from under the beds, and Mike glared at him before storming outside. He yanked the door closed and Chad barricaded it with a smirk. Like Dorf, it was always fun to get these assholes riled up. After Mike’s stomps were no longer heard, Chad slid the window open and climbed through. He couldn’t let that shotgun be used.

“Let me tell you guys a different story about Jason Voorhees. He was a lonely kid who didn’t have any friends, but he didn’t hate the other kids for it. He just wanted one of them to open their eyes and see him for who he really was. A kind boy, not an ugly monster. Remember this when you see someone who looks different. If you don’t get in his way, he won’t hurt you. That’s why you have to stay under the beds."

The cabin was silent as the kids contemplated Chad’s words. He closed the window, satisfied that they wouldn’t wander off. Instincts told him that Jason would lead Mike towards the dead officer to raise his fear level. Pappas had died beside the firewood stack, so that’s where Chad jogged, retracing his steps down the trail. Once he reached the road, he crouched low as he traveled across it, heading for the corner he’d hidden behind. He wasn’t alone here.

This was similar to the previous encounter, but Mike was creeping towards the corpse instead of the bushes. He gasped as he looked at Pappas’ face, which had a newly-crushed skull for extra effect. Brain tissue was leaking out of the top and through the nostrils, leaving a trickle of greyish-green goo and plenty of blood. Jason had seemingly stepped on the head so he wouldn’t get his gloves dirty.

There was another difference. Instead of the ambush coming from the front, it came from behind. Appearing out of nowhere, Jason towered over Mike, who remained oblivious to his presence until a spear gutted him through the stomach. He staggered forward and then slowly turned around to face his attacker, blood spluttering out of his mouth.

Chad jogged around the firewood stack to get a view of Jason’s front. His head was tilted down to examine the blood on his new shirt. First the paintball and now this, and it was going to get worse. Somehow, Mike had the strength to fire his shotgun despite the spear sticking out of him. The impact knocked Jason backward, and he lay frozen on the twigs and leaves, bringing a stab of pain to Chad’s heart. He stood a step forward, emerging from his hiding spot. If the gun could be wrenched away from behind...

_“No.”_

His attempt to take another step was prevented by an unknown force. No, it wasn’t unknown. The commanding voice could only belong to one woman. He remained where he was, frozen like the poor boy on the ground. His eyes moved of their own accord, watching Mike get farther away but closer to Jason.

Another stab pierced Chad’s heart. How could he stand here and do nothing? Jason would get shot again and again to ensure his death. But he wasn’t dead. Suddenly he bent at the waist, his hands shaped like claws as they reached for the gun. Mike pumped it and fired, the impact causing Jason to roll several times and settle on his back.

There were no grunts of pain. Not even when Jason leaned up for a second time, got shot, and rolled over. Although his recovery was faster, a third shot sent him rolling yet again. Mike was refusing to die until he killed this legend once and for all. But a mortal body had limits and so did a gun. When Jason tried to get up for the fourth time, he was able to fully rise. The shotgun had run out of ammo.

Mike flung his shotgun aside and grabbed his revolver. He braced his feet on the ground and fired bullet after bullet into Jason’s chest, but the silent advance continued. It only stopped when the last one struck him in the forehead, slightly off-center. His head tipped back and then slowly forward. He stood a mere two feet away from Mike, who lacked the strength to run. A strong tug on the spear made him drop to his knees, blood seeping out of the hole in his stomach. The empty gun fell from his grasp. If he’d saved a bullet for himself, he would’ve been able to end his suffering sooner.

Jason didn’t even have to hold him down as he stabbed his spear diagonally into the ground. The pointy end was ready to accept whatever he had in store for Mike. Placing one hand on the back of his head and another on his forehead, Jason pulled him towards the spear. It pierced Mike’s ear and went through the other, making his head look like a shishkebab. A piece of meat on a very sharp stick. Jason guided Mike down with the speed of a snail, making sure he felt everything as he screamed. This man deserved nothing less for trying to take Jason away again. And for ruining his nice birthday present. His narrowed eye said it all.

The screams stopped before Mike’s head was halfway down the spear. Deciding this was enough, Jason released him and yanked it out. Chad was glad to have been standing behind Mike, and luckily the corpse flopped on its stomach, hiding the gory face. His stomach had twisted into knots and he could imagine how the kids felt. Maybe they hadn’t heard anything, but somebody had. A noise was coming this way, sounding like chains clinking together, and Chad turned his head to the source. It was Tommy carrying a small sack. His jog was silent and his face was grim as he headed for the corpse. The hero was too late. Jason had left eleven bodies in his wake tonight, and there were two more murders that remained incomplete.

“Is Megan with you?” Chad asked. “I haven’t seen her. I heard screams and—”

On cue, a distant scream was heard, answering his question. Megan had discovered Paula’s corpse, but Tommy didn’t know this, believing her distress to be a possible encounter with Jason. With a burst of speed, the knight in shining armor disappeared into the forest, leaving Chad behind. Something must’ve happened between them. A spark of romance perhaps? It would fizzle out soon. The showdown awaited. Chad sprinted north to the road and then followed the same trail he’d used earlier, arriving at the cabin where the kids were being contained. Megan was already inside, surrounded by kids and hugging several girls. Hearing his footsteps, they turned their heads as he stopped in the doorway.

“Have you seen Tommy? I was with him a minute ago.”

Megan nodded. “He was just here but then he left.” She faced the kids again and knelt down. “Everything’s gonna be just fine, okay?” Her voice shook only slightly. She had a surprisingly high composure after having seen her friend’s dead body. “I’m gonna find my daddy the sheriff and then we can all go home.” She stood up. “Now, uh, go back and lie down where you were before and stay there. Go ahead. Then we’ll come back and get you.”

The kids walked off, less hasty than before.

“I promise. Go. Lie down, stay there.”

Tyen and Billy knelt beside a bed and looked at each other.

“What do you think?” Billy asked.

“I think we’ll be just peachy.”

Tyen crawled under the bed. After staring into space for a few seconds, Billy did the same. Maybe they’d taken the Jason story to heart, but Chad wasn’t about to stick around and ask them. Time was of the essence. Tommy and Jason could be battling right now.

With Mike dead, there was one less person who could cause complications. Megan, however, was still a problem. She squeezed past Chad and started her search in the surrounding forest while he pulled the door closed.

“Daddy! Where are you?”

It would be better for her to waste time searching for a dad who couldn’t answer. But Tommy had a different idea. His shout came from the direction of the dock.

“Megan, it’s too late! Use your dad’s radio to call for help! And an ambulance!”

“Too late?” she whispered to herself. “What do you mean?”

Despite her confusion, she ran towards the cruisers to fulfill Tommy’s order. Jason was smart enough to have anticipated something like that. Given his prior involvement with the cops, he would’ve heard what their radios could do, so he’d probably destroyed these ones. It was a small comfort as Chad sprinted to the dock. Jason had survived a bunch of bullets from a single man, but what about a squad of them?

More importantly, what crazy idea did Tommy have in store for defeating him? He was rolling a huge rock to the dock. Thornton’s corpse was still in the rowboat on the left side. The sack, a thick chain, and a gas can were inside the motorboat on the right. Upon hearing Chad’s arrival, Tommy beckoned to him. Helping was one of the last things he wanted to do.

“What’s that for?”

Before Tommy could answer, Megan screamed, making him pause with his hands resting on the rock. Jason must’ve left a surprise in her dad’s cruiser.

“Daddy! Where are you? Please come help us! Daddy!”

Her screams continued, coming from different directions as she searched the forest. Surrounded by blowing leaves, Tommy resumed his task of rolling the rock without Chad’s help.

“Tommy. What’s that for?”

“I’m gonna chain him to the bottom of the lake and that’s where he’ll stay until his body rots to nothing. Now are you gonna help me or not?”

An excuse didn’t come, only fear that stole the air from Chad’s lungs. Breathing through his mouth, he crouched to help roll the rock. A padlock was located on the dock, requiring care not to knock it into the lake. It was probably vital for Tommy’s plan. Chad accidentally nudged it with his foot while maneuvering the rock close to the motorboat. The padlock plunked into the water, leaving a ring of ripples behind.

“Sorry, did you need that? I didn’t notice it.”

“I bought a third just in case.”

Tommy knelt inside the motorboat and held out his hands to ease the heavy rock into it. He grunted in pain and shook them, then wrapped the chain around the rock, crisscrossing the ends. As he kept them in place with a hand, he used his other to grab a spare padlock from the sack and clip it to the chain. One of the ends had been looped to create what appeared to be a noose. He tested its strength before placing it on top of the rock.

“You put a lot of thought into this.”

Tommy looked up, determination in his gaze. “This ends once and for all. He won’t torment this town any longer. Or me.”

“I wonder where Megan is. She’s not screaming anymore.”

“You’re right.” Tommy turned his head to the forest. “Maybe she’s… I’m sure she’s fine.”

Her timing couldn’t be more perfect. She appeared between the trees, wearing a bright red jacket that made her stick out like a sore thumb as she ran here. Why was she still alive? She’d been separated from Tommy for the past few minutes.

“Where have you been?” Chad asked.

“Looking for my dad! It’s not too late, I know he’s out there!” Her panicked eyes flicked between Chad and Tommy. “Please, you gotta help me find him! We can’t do this alone!”

Tommy didn’t even look at her, instead focusing on getting the motorboat started. She paced along the dock and ran her hands through her hair.

“Aren’t you listening to me?”

“He’s dead, Megan.”

She stopped pacing and tensed up. “What? You’re lying.”

“We saw his body. Now go hide with the kids before it’s too late.” Tommy’s gaze darted to Chad. “And you too. I told you, this is between me and Jason.”

The motorboat rumbled to life. As Tommy drove away, Megan extended her hand pleadingly. “Wait, you can’t do this!”

“Get back in the cabin before you end up the same way!”

A gun fired from the direction of the girls’ cabin, drawing Megan away from the dock. Chad knew better than to follow. The main event would take place here, and he couldn’t miss a second of it. But who was responsible? Mike, Thornton, and Pappas were dead.

“MEGAN, NO!” Tommy shouted at the top of his lungs.

Believing her father to be in trouble, she didn’t listen as Tommy repeated her name. Chad smiled to himself as she got closer to the dark cabin. Jason was the smartest boy around, contrary to what the bullies had thought. He’d fired a gun for the first time. Tommy must’ve come to the same conclusion after he’d remembered seeing the three corpses.

“JASON!”

This shouted name caused Megan to turn around. In that moment, Jason materialized behind her and pressed a hand on each side of her head. It brought back a memory of Higgins Haven. Chris had been forced to watch Rick die and now it was Tommy’s turn to do the same with Megan. He was halfway across the water, too far away to help. She screamed and flailed as pressure was applied.

Tommy stood up in the boat, causing it to rock violently, and cupped his mouth. “Jason! Jason, come on! Come and get me! It’s me you want, remember?”

Jason had experienced the consequences of rage and distraction. The barn incident had been the worst of them all, having resulted in a wound that still haunted Chad to this very day. But here, Jason could harness that rage by finishing what he’d just started. He could deal a severe blow to Tommy by not allowing himself to get distracted.

Megan’s head popped like a grape, sending a shower of gore everywhere but the cabin windows. Thanks to Jason’s height and broadness, the blood splattered his mask and chest instead, preventing a gruesome display for the kids once they emerged from under their beds later. The corpse fell forward on its own, as there was nothing to release. Tommy dropped to his knees and screamed in anguish, hands gripping his thighs. During their brief time together, perhaps they’d developed feelings for each other. After all, Chad’s heart belonged to someone else and it always would.

Tonight, the dark lake wasn’t something for Jason to fear. He strode towards it, focusing on the distant boat. Water splashed with each step, and the sound broke Tommy out of his mental torment. Regardless of this tragedy, he had a job to do. He rose to his feet and waved his arms.

“Hey, maggot head! That’s it! Come on, Jason, you little chickenshit. Come on, you pussy!”

Tommy squatted and gripped the chain noose, watching his nemesis get closer. The water was up to Jason’s neck, and Tommy was also getting close to submerging. The rock was weighing down the right half of the boat. If he wasn’t careful, he might end up taking a swim in the lake without Jason’s help.

A lot of thought had clearly been put into this plan, but there were a few problems. Jason disappeared under the water, leaving Tommy wondering which direction the attack would come from. His head turned rapidly as he looked for signs under the water, but it was too dark. The other problem plagued Chad. What if Tommy did manage to slip the noose around Jason’s neck and then tip the rock into the lake? Would Jason be able to break the chain to free himself? Despite these worries, there was little that could be done to help Jason. Tommy wouldn’t listen to any talking attempts.

There was one other option. Taking a boat ride with Thornton’s corpse and whacking Tommy on the head with an oar. But that plan flew out the window when he released the chain, grabbed the gas can, and splashed the contents around the boat. Tommy plus gas could equal only one thing. After putting the can into the opposite end, he frantically searched his jacket for the pack of matches. It took a single try for a flame to burn in the darkness. With a flick of his wrist, he threw the match, creating a ring of fire. It was the ultimate deterrent for Chad’s bright idea.

In creating this plan, Tommy hadn’t accounted for something. Bubbles emerged from within the ring’s boundary. He prepared his noose, but then they came from a different spot. To make matters worse for him, water was starting to enter the boat from the constant tilting as he looked for Jason.

“Are you okay over there, Tommy? Do you need help?”

His attention was drawn to Chad for a split second. Jason leapt out of the water from the opposite side and tried to pull him in, but the huge rock was between their bodies, causing Tommy to get lodged behind it. Cracking sounds resulted from the struggle and more water flooded the boat. He fumbled for the noose, but that created another problem, resulting in only one hand to fend off Jason. Tommy’s focus switched to freeing himself from the strong grip. After a lot of yelling and yanking, the sleeve of his jacket ripped, sending him backward into the boat and Jason into the water.

Tommy leaned an arm on the rock while gripping the noose and looking for trouble. It arrived quickly in the form of a flaming Jason. His fiery body made him resemble a demon that had come to drag Tommy to hell. But another attack had been expected, and Tommy managed to slip the noose over Jason’s head. The tides turned briefly because of that and the troublesome rock acting as a barrier between their bodies. Then Jason reclaimed his throne with a violent leap onto the boat, which cracked in half. He grabbed Tommy and the two of them were pulled under the surface as the rock sunk.

Holding his breath, Chad waited for the victor to emerge among the rising bubbles. Jason’s strength would surely enable him to break the chain. But then the unexpected happened. It was Tommy, gasping for air as his flailing arms searched for something to hold on to. He managed to grab the edge of the broken boat with both hands and catch his breath, though his respite didn’t last long. Jason was trying to pull him under again, judging by the renewed struggles to stay afloat.

Tommy’s hands moved to the boat’s tiller and the starter cord. He pulled on it several times and jerked the tiller from side to side, trying to use the underwater propeller against Jason, but the motor didn’t seem to have enough juice to keep the propeller whirling. It didn’t help that Tommy kept swallowing water whenever he was yanked down.

This couldn’t go on. Jason’s flesh would be chewed up and spat out by the dangerous weapon. But Chad could only watch the scene with tears in his eyes, fighting for air himself. If he dove into the water, he wouldn’t come back out. His vanity had given him a preference for sunbathing by the shore instead of swimming. Even if he could get there by using the rowboat, he needed a key for the padlock. He also needed enough stamina to be capable of spending time underwater without drowning. And so he just stood there, cursing his weakness and Tommy’s existence.

With a last frantic pull of the cord, Tommy started the boat and kept it running long enough for the surrounding water to turn red. Chunks of flesh rose to the surface, and Chad squeezed his eyes shut. He didn’t open them when the motor stopped or the splashes got closer to the dock. They only opened when wet hands gripped his shoulders. Pale blue eyes stared into his dark ones.

“It’s over.”

Tommy made it a few steps down the dock before his knees buckled. As he lay there shivering, Chad stared at the back of his head. This guy should’ve been sent to the watery grave, but here he was. Chad strode past him, heading for the cruisers. Maybe one of the radios was working. If nothing else, he could prove himself capable of helping the kids out of this nightmare.

Sissy’s decapitated head was waiting beside Mike’s cruiser, but Chad merely stepped around it. Police chatter emerged from the radio. He grabbed it and barely recognized his monotone voice.

“Send help to Camp Forest Green. More homicides.”

He tossed the radio inside and waited, frozen, until a swarm of cruisers and ambulances with blaring sirens arrived. His favorite officer swaggered towards him, gripping his belt.

“Well. Well. Well. Who do we got here.”

“An asshole.”

Dorf raised a gloved finger. “Already startin’ with bullshit. We’re gonna have a fun night, boy.”

“Easy there, Dorf. Let’s focus on securing the crime scene and getting the kids to safety.” Luke’s intervention was a welcome one, but Chad couldn’t even force a smile at his dad. He pointed at the girls’ cabin.

“There’s a headless body on the side that faces the lake. Another in a rowboat. Tommy Jarvis is unconscious on the dock. Dead sheriff, dead officers, dead counselors.”

“Sounds like the kid’s in shock,” Dorf muttered. He tipped his chin to the largest cabin with the dining hall. “Any bodies in there?”

Chad shook his head.

“That’s where you’ll go. That’s where you’ll stay until I tell you different. Understand?”

He walked to the cabin, feeling multiple gazes on him, and opened the door. The lights were still working in the long hallway that seemed to go on forever. Each step was like trudging through mud. Behind him, in the lake’s depths, was the man who’d pledged his heart to a guy who didn’t deserve him. Chad’s legs shook as he finally reached the chair at the foot of the table. He held his head in his hands and stared at the scratched wood for what could’ve been hours. A woodsy scent eventually joined him, one that he remembered from eight months ago.

“He’s down there.”

“Then get him out.”

The answer sounded both simple and impossible. Chad lowered his hands to the table and turned his head to look into the blue eyes above. They weren’t cold, but there wasn’t any love in them. That time had come and gone.

Roy left without another word, his footsteps not making a sound. The next footsteps were soft and hesitant. A drawing was placed onto the table, depicting a guy with blond hair and exaggerated muscles.

“I… I have to go home soon, but I wanted to give you this first.”

Chad smiled at Nancy. “It’s amazing. Thanks.”

“What happened to the man? Is he okay?”

“I don’t know. The important thing is to always have strength and try to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “What tunnel?”

“Where there is a will, there is a way. Have you heard that one?”

She nodded vigorously. “My mom tells me that sometimes. She says I can do anything I want if I just try.”

“You have a very smart mom. She’s right.”

“Nancy?” a woman called. “Are you ready to go home?”

She glanced around shyly before giving Chad a peck on the cheek. This time, her footsteps sounded like they belonged to an elephant. His smile faded as he recalled the drawing of the two boys holding hands and standing in front of the colorful sunset over the lake.

The third visitor was Dorf, who sat on the nearest chair to the right. His pen and pad of paper were set down. He snorted at the drawing. “Looks nothin’ like this boy I’m seein’ right now. Chin up, Blondie. You’re alive.”

His hair had gone completely grey, and more wrinkles lined his skin. He had to be nearing retirement. A faint smile crossed Chad’s face.

“So you can smile without lookin’ like you just fed me a pile of shit. We learn somethin’ new every day.” Dorf tapped the tip of his pen against the pad, marking it with black dots. “Paint me a picture.”

It was an extensive painting that covered the spooky storytelling session and beyond, but some details were left out. Chad didn’t mention the private encounter with Jason in the counselors’ cabin, nor did he mention all of the kills he’d witnessed. Only Megan’s death and the discovery of the bodies. Dorf reprimanded him for not being with the kids for the whole night, but he didn’t suspect an alliance with the killer. In his opinion, it was just incompetence as a counselor, and Chad didn’t argue with him. By the end, Dorf was in need of another notepad. He slid it into his pocket, along with his pen, and stood up.

“Gotta do your friend next. And if he tells me somethin’ different—”

“I’ll be hearing from you.”

Dorf nodded curtly. “You understand. Don’t be goin’ anywhere.”

“So, uh… when will the killer’s body be recovered? I’m sure everyone will feel a lot safer once his death is confirmed.”

“He’s not goin’ anywhere either, not with a huge rock tied to his neck. We’ll recover the body in the mornin’.”

“Makes sense. It’s hard to see out there. I’ll stick around until it’s okay to leave.”

“Your dad said he’s gonna give you a lift home in about an hour. We’ll see about that.”

Dorf strode down the hallway and slammed the front door shut. There were no other visitors in the immediate aftermath of that annoying interrogation, so Chad stood up to quench his thirst in the kitchen. As he sipped the refreshing bottle of water, he snooped through the window above the sink. Where there was a will, there was a way. But right now, this wasn’t looking good. Although the ambulances were gone, five cruisers were parked ahead. The cops wanted to collect every piece of evidence before the official closure was announced. There would always be stupid teens who wouldn’t mind having a souvenir of the legend’s rampage, such as the spear. Jason had last used it on Mike. Maybe it was still beside the stack of firewood.

Going there would be too risky, but the lake was an option. The dock wasn’t visible from the front of the cabins. And the ambulances had left, so they must’ve loaded the bodies already. The area around the dock could be void of cops as a result. Like Dorf had said, Jason wasn’t going anywhere. Not without help.

_“I will not allow my son to stay trapped in the cold and dark forever. You will go there and you will free him.”_

Chad’s hand shook as he lowered the empty bottle to the counter. But how? He didn’t have the tools required to free him and he couldn’t swim.

_“There are tools to the west. Find what you need, go to his place of rest, and surrender yourself. My little boy did not swim to safety after he awakened from the lake’s clutches. Why? Because he couldn’t, even though his weak body tried so hard. I helped him once and I will do so again.”_

A revelation came. Six years ago, Jason had written something strange at his desk. _I didn’t walk out of the lake. Someone else did. Then I woke up and coughed water._ His savior had been his mother, who’d become a spirit after her sacrifice. Waking up was his equivalent of saying he’d taken control of his body.

_“There is no time for contemplation. Dawn will arrive soon and some of these cretins seek to ensure his death by burning what is left of him. Leave now.”_

This cabin had a side door that was connected to another hallway. Chad jogged there and listened for footsteps. The door faced the west, so if he could open it without being seen, he just had to stealth his way to the tool room. The cops had no reason to be hanging around inside it.

_“Go. It is safe.”_

It was certainly helpful to have a ghost partner who could snoop without being seen. Chad opened the door and closed it softly behind him. The coast was indeed clear, but he couldn’t take the risk of being spotted from a distance. He crouched and took things slow, creeping among the trees until he came across a rocky hill. It was located across from the lit building that probably held the tools. With the hill being several meters tall and too treacherous to climb down at night, he had to take a chance with the road. Now was the time to make use of his speed. He sprinted to the building and circled to the side that faced the lake.

Luckily one of the garage doors was open from the cops’ earlier search. This place seemed to be used for boat repairs. Four old rowboats were scattered around, and there was a spare propeller resting on a barrel. What he needed was a strong pair of bolt cutters. He searched through six desk drawers, but they only contained a small rusty pair and other junk. The chain links and padlock were too thick for these. There had to be something better.

_“Hide until I return.”_

He put the bolt cutters back and then hid inside a tall cabinet. It smelled awful and musty, but at least it was empty and there weren’t any shelves digging into his back. And someone or something had created a hole in the wood, allowing him to peer through and watch for stealthy cops. Pamela must’ve spotted one coming this way.

Chad waited and waited until he could hardly take it anymore. There wasn’t enough air flow in this thing, and he was forced to hold his breath when a young officer finally appeared in front of the cabinet. The officer paused mid-step and listened, one hand on his holster. Why was Pamela taking so long? Better yet, what the hell was she doing?

The officer turned to the cabinet and took a few steps back, his face stern. “Get out of there. Now. Mother is talking to you.”

Chad exhaled loudly and pushed the doors open. Pamela also shared Jason’s playful nature, but at the expense of almost giving the poor prince a heart attack. She’d managed to find heavy-duty bolt cutters that were several feet long. They must’ve been stashed in one of the cruisers in case the cops needed to breach an inaccessible area. The officer handed them to him and then banged his head against the wall, knocking himself out.

Taking more deep breaths, Chad approached the two docks nearby. Swimming was the only viable choice. The full moon provided enough light for the cops to see him rowing a boat towards the floating debris. But the dark water looked terrifying, making his steps become slower. Did his lungs have the capacity to keep him alive long enough to use the bolt cutters?

He squared his shoulders and held his head high, nearing the end of the left dock. Jason was down there, waiting to be helped. He wasn’t dead. With time, his flesh would heal like it always did. A quiet life, with him and his loving mother, was still attainable. Chad only needed to reach for it.

His legs picked up speed, and with a skill that didn’t belong to him, he dove into the water. A memory flashed into his mind. Pamela as a teenager, sneaking away from her drunken mother to teach herself how to swim. But this body had limits, forcing her to resurface halfway to Jason’s prison, and the bolt cutters added to the difficulty. She alternated between clutching them to Chad’s chest and using them as a paddle of sorts. As luck would have it, no cops were watching this display from the shore.

The wind had blown the debris and chunks of flesh past their original location, yet somehow she knew exactly where Jason was. After taking a final deep breath, she dove straight down. His body was floating upright above the rock, not moving, and the skin on his head was severely damaged. Tommy had tried to decapitate him with the whirling propeller, which had destroyed some of Jason’s mask. His molars on the left side were now exposed, along with a bit of his rotting cheek. But now wasn’t the time to dwell about the appearance of this poor boy. The target was the padlock that secured the ends of the noose together.

It took a few tries to cut because of the water pressure, but the combined strength of human and spirit allowed it to be done, and Jason’s neck was freed. He began to sink, as if the lake was trying to keep him in its clutches. By now, bubbles were emerging from Chad’s mouth, so Pamela brought him to the surface to catch his breath. Her son would have to stay here temporarily, but only until Chad reached the shore.

The trip back was easier without the bolt cutters, enabling Pamela to freestyle her way there. They’d been left underwater, on top of the vandalized Camp Crystal Lake sign that was beside the rock. Someone had crossed out _Crystal Lake_ and replaced it with _Blood_ using red spray paint, perhaps as a memorial to the little boy who’d drowned there. With the addition of the bolt cutters, it would be a confusing discovery for the cops. Who would be crazy enough to free the legend?

Chad’s soaking wet clothes and plastered hair wouldn’t do any good in defending himself against accusations. Someone with half a brain could come to the conclusion that he’d just taken a trip to the lake. And unfortunately, his luck was finally running out. As soon as he stepped onto the shore, a flashlight beamed from inside the boathouse, its owner none other than Dorf.

“You got some explainin’ to do, boy. I knew I heard somethin’ in the lake.”

“I had to see if he was still down there.”

“And?”

“I only made it a few meters into the water before I got tired. I’m not a good swimmer.”

Dorf squinted at the lake as he swaggered towards it, one hand on his belt. He stopped beside Chad and checked the water with his flashlight. “Almost makes me wanna go down there myself.”

Chad hugged himself, cold seeping into his bones. “Be my guest.”

“For all I know, you and your friend could’ve been pullin’ my leg. A zombie walkin’ around and killin’ people… now I’ve heard it all. The funny thing is, a little girl confirmed parts of your story. She couldn’t wait to tell her mama about the big man that spared her life.”

“Well, I guess you’ll find out in the morning. Can I get changed in my cabin? It’s near the gate.”

“Wait a second. You know anythin’ about the unconscious officer in the boathouse?”

“Nope. We have some weirdness around here, so maybe a ghost got him.”

Dorf snorted, but a corner of his mouth quirked into a small smile. “Uh-huh. Go on and get changed so I don’t gotta listen to more of this bullshit. It’s piled so high that it’s startin’ to stink.”

Chad tilted his head down and sniffed his jacket, wincing at the smell. He strode towards his cabin, sticking to the roads. This was why he didn’t mix well with lakes. Tons of bacteria were sticking to his clothes and skin. Once he got driven to the fake house, a warm shower would be required, even though he wanted nothing to do with water right now. Jason probably wouldn’t want it either, not after he’d been chained to the lake for a few hours.

Pamela would’ve taken Jason somewhere safe. He would regain his strength and be waiting at the house, ready to morph back to the real one. But these hopes weren’t realistic. His body had experienced a lot of stress and it might take a while for him to recover. The cops would discover the bolt cutters in the lake, then Dorf would visit, remembering this recent talk. Day and night, someone might be stationed outside the house. It could be weeks until it was safe enough to go home, and the thought made Chad’s shoulders slump as he entered his cabin.

He sat on the edge of the bed and leaned down to pull the bags out from under it. Everything was still folded neatly, though he wouldn’t have been embarrassed if the cops had found the bunny tail. At Pinehurst, they’d gotten a real eyeful when they’d searched his bags, so a mere butt plug was tame in comparison. He placed a towel, sweatshirt, sweatpants, and pair of socks onto the bed, then stood up and stripped out of his wet clothes. The door was wide open, but the Greek god didn’t care about a cop seeing him naked while he dried off and got dressed. Unless it was his dad. Now that would be awkward.

Luke arrived just as Chad was slipping his feet into his soggy shoes. Everything else had been put on, and his keys had been transferred to his pocket. His discarded clothes lay in a pile, ready to be seized as evidence, but his dad was focused on getting him home after a rough night. He pointed a thumb at the cruiser.

“Hop in. I’ll deliver the bags to you tomorrow morning.”

“Oh yeah. I guess you have to search them.”

The bunny tail had thankfully slid towards the bottom of the bag when the clothes had been removed. It was fine if any other cop saw it, but his dad? That would be more than just awkward. It would be a nightmare. Chad’s face prickled with heat as he made a silent plea with his eyes. There wasn’t any evidence hidden in the bags.

“On second thought, you can take the bags with you. I just remembered that I already searched them.”

Luke winked and turned to his cruiser. Sighing in relief, Chad zipped the bags and shouldered them. Every muscle in his body was aching after this long day, and his plans were quickly changing. Instead of a warm shower, he was going to flop on the bed and sleep. He dragged himself to the car, slid the bags onto the back seat, and got in beside them. The police chatter and crunching gravel faded as he drifted off.

His snooze was disturbed in no time. A hysterical voice was coming from the main hub. It belonged to Tommy, his shouts muffled by the windows. The car slowed to a stop as Luke watched the action ahead.

“I’m tellin’ you, I saw him! God, don’t take me back there!” Tommy was snarling and hissing like a deranged cat as two officers tried to shove him into a cruiser. “Get the fuck off me! I gotta kill him! I gotta chop him to bits and burn him!”

“Sir, if you don’t settle down, we’ll have to—”

Tommy wrenched himself free and sprinted to Chad’s window. He started banging on it with his fists, causing the glass to rattle. His wide eyes looked maniacal, as if he’d snapped from the realization that Jason would haunt him forever. “He’s still alive! He’s still alive! I gotta find him!”

An officer twisted his arms behind his back while another cuffed him. Still shouting, he lashed out with his elbows as they dragged him backward. This time they were successful with shoving him inside, and the door slammed shut. The two sets of windows muffled his shouts enough to make it impossible to understand him. At this rate, he wouldn’t see the light of day, just like Mike had said. The officers got into the cruiser and drove off, taking their mouthy burden with them.

As Luke resumed driving, he didn’t share his thoughts about the strange event, but Chad had his own. Tommy probably hadn’t taken his medication since his escape, and pills could have bad side effects if they were stopped suddenly. Although this might’ve contributed to his outburst by causing hallucinations, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’d actually seen Jason walking out of the lake. Or maybe Jason had shown himself somewhere else, intentionally, to remind Tommy that he would never be defeated permanently.

There was another explanation, one that dealt with Tommy’s survival. Maybe Jason had let him escape because death would’ve been too easy. Now Tommy would be confined to a mental hospital again with extra security measures, and his mind would be plagued by memories of Megan dying and the battle that hadn’t truly been won. _Give hope, take away._ That’s what Jason had signed this morning, and that’s exactly what he’d done tonight. He could finally rest.

His masked face wasn’t waiting in the bedroom window at the fake house—this street was far too busy for that—but that didn’t mean he wasn’t up there. Immediately after the cruiser came to a stop in front the walkway, Chad opened the back door and got out. He snatched his bags, shouldered them, and slammed the door closed. He waved a goodbye and was already halfway to the house when his dad called out.

“You forgot something.”

Nancy’s drawing was offered through the passenger window, and Chad accepted it with a grateful smile. It would be a great decoration for the fridge at home, but for now it could stay in this one.

“Thanks. Say hi to Mom for me and tell her I’m safe.”

Luke nodded and rolled the window up. He didn’t linger, having a lot of work to do in the investigation, and Chad didn’t either. Within seconds, the front door was reached, unlocked, and opened. He stepped inside and dumped his bags onto the floor, then closed the door and locked it just as quickly. Despite his haste to see if Jason was around, he avoided ripping Nancy’s drawing.

“Anyone here?” he called up the stairs.

There was no answer, but Chad didn’t allow his hope to disappear. He entered the kitchen to hang the drawing and smiled at how much work Nancy had put into capturing his beauty. She knew a prince when she saw one, and now this prince had to brush his teeth before heading to bed. Ignoring his sore legs, he hurried upstairs and cleaned his pearly whites. His hair needed a lot of work, sticking out in every direction because of the wind, but Jason never judged him. It didn’t matter whether it looked like a pancake or a chicken’s comb. With another smile, Chad left the bathroom and entered the bedroom just down the hall.

Six years ago, he’d almost surrendered to despair, but hope had kept him going. It had paid off after the resurrection, and it was paying off now. Jason was here, tucked in bed with a blanket pulled up to the bottom of his mask. He grunted weakly and slid an arm out to pat the space beside him. As Chad walked to the bed, tears began to trickle. The little boy had grown up to be a strong man who refused to give up, no matter what life threw at him.

“You wanted to surprise me?”

Jason nodded.

“It wasn’t really a surprise. You’re a strong boy, and strong boys don’t give up. They don’t lose hope that one day, things will get better.”

Chad peeled the blanket back and climbed onto the bed. He tucked it around himself and blinked the tears away, feeling more at peace than he’d ever felt. This place wasn’t home, but he was together with Jason. In the end, that’s the only thing he wanted. Everything else was just a bonus.

“You captured my heart, Jason. And when I wanted to give up, you reminded me why I shouldn’t.”

It was getting harder to keep his eyes open. Despite what he’d seen, his dreams would be pleasant. How could they not be? He was safe in Jason’s arms, one wrapped around his shoulders and the other draped across his chest.

“I’ll admit, I got scared tonight. When you got shot, when the rock sunk… but we promised something to each other. Always and forever.”

His eyes stayed closed this time, but he was still aware of the gnarled hand that moved to his heart. A silent message was given to him.

Legends never die. Even in the face of adversity, they continue to live in the hearts of those who love them, and this legend wasn’t going anywhere.


	6. But Not Today

The morning light shined on Chad’s hair, making him look like a little angel wrapped in a blanket cocoon. Jason had been careful not to wake him when he’d gotten out of bed to snoop at the camp. He’d hidden his spear under a fallen log in the forest and thankfully it had still been there. Like his other weapons, it was important, having played a role in turning him into a real boy. Mother had unlocked the door at home so he could hang his spear on his weapon rack. She’d told him about how brave Chad had been when he’d went into the lake, and looking at him now, Jason believed her words all over again. This boy was tiny, but he had a big heart.

Now it was time for him to eat breakfast so he wouldn’t become even more tiny. Jason grunted loudly and shook Chad’s shoulder until his eyes fluttered open.

“What time is it?”

Jason held up six fingers.

Chad unwrapped the cocoon and slowly sat on the edge of the bed. His eyes could hardly stay open. “Feels like I only got a few hours of sleep.”

Jason bowed his head. Had he been a bad boy for waking Chad up early?

“Don’t worry. I’ll have more energy once I take a shower and eat breakfast.”

A shower meant water, and water reminded Jason of being trapped in the lake, unable to see or hear anything. But showers also meant fun, and they were nothing like being submerged for hours. He pointed towards the bathroom to tell Chad that he was going to take one too.

“Great. It’s always more fun when you join me. Did you make breakfast yet?”

Jason shook his head. He’d been too busy snooping.

“Shower first then.”

Chad winced as he stood up. He’d done a lot of walking, running, and swimming last night, so he needed to make sure he didn’t work too hard today. Jason extended a hand to him, but it was refused with a head shake.

“I’ll be fine. I’m a strong boy too, remember?”

Chad walked into the hallway and entered the bathroom. The counter used to be full of dust, but Mother had cleaned it so he wouldn’t sneeze his lungs out. His outfit was waiting there. The sleeveless shirt, shorts, and socks were dark blue to match his pretty eyes. There was even one of the weird underwear that looked like a window to his ass, just in case he wanted to try Afternoon Delight suddenly. As a bonus, his dick and balls wouldn’t flop around and attract attention. Girls especially liked to look at him there, and the occasional boy did too.

Jason’s hands clenched. He would kill as many people as it took for them to finally understand something important. Chad already had a boy who loved him. But if these people were dead, they wouldn’t be able to understand anymore. Jason shrugged and started getting undressed.

His new shirt was ruined because of the bad sheriff. The small gun had created holes that went through the front to the back, and the big gun had created a bunch of clustered holes. After Mother had helped him walk out of the lake, she’d wanted to try removing the bullets using a tool she’d stolen from the ambulance, but there hadn’t been any inside him. The magic had forced them out through his wounds. Now he just had to wait until his skin finished scarring, and if he was a good boy, Chad would buy him another shirt.

Jason laid it on the counter and smoothed it out. This damage was why the sheriff had suffered, plus he’d always been mean to Chad. At least the pants hadn’t been ruined. Jason unzipped them and stepped out of them carefully so they wouldn’t get any dirt from the floor. His lumpy cock flopped out, but he wasn’t scared. Chad wasn’t either, staring as he stood there naked. The size still amazed him years later, but why? Of course a big boy would have a big cock.

There was nothing else for Jason to remove. His boots and belt were hiding inside the bedroom closet in case more cops decided to be annoying by coming here. It would be easier to kill them all, but that would cause trouble for Chad. They always liked to pester him and ask a lot of questions after each adventure. And once they discovered the missing body in the lake, there would definitely be questions. Mother had overheard a conversation with Dorf.

“Are you okay?”

Jason nodded and unclenched his hands again. He wasn’t going to let the cops ruin his day with Chad. They couldn’t be killed without inviting more cops to the house, but he would find a way to get rid of them. Then Chad could rest and regain his strength for Afternoon Delight and other fun.

“Your cock is getting hard.”

Chad sighed heavily and turned to the tub. He bent over to start running the water. This was a dangerous move, but Jason didn’t attack him, telling his cock to go back to sleep. It listened even though it wanted to be inside its favorite place. As Chad activated the shower, he sighed again, this time in relief.

“We should have a quick one anyway. I guarantee the cops will be here this morning.”

Jason jumped into the tub, let the water touch his cock for a few seconds, and jumped back out. He wasn’t stinky anyway.

“Uh... I’m gonna need a bit longer than that.” Chad smiled as he entered the shower. “I’ll meet you downstairs when I’m done.”

A surprise breakfast would be waiting for him. Jason snatched his clothes and got dressed, then strode downstairs to the kitchen. There were a lot of cooking utensils from Chad’s mother, but most of the food was old. The milk was lumpy, the cheese and bread were furry, and the fruit and vegetables were rotten. The only edible things were an unopened box of salted crackers and a jar of peanut butter with a few scoops left. This wasn’t enough for a boy who needed nutrients to avoid shrinking, but the other options would make him sick. Jason poured the whole box onto a plate and used the rest of the peanut butter, making sure not to touch the crackers while spreading it. A fork was used to keep them in place. By the end, half of the crackers were buttered and the others were bald. He brought the plate to the table and stood beside the single chair, waiting to present the feast to Chad.

It was hard to be patient with snooping opportunities out there. Other things were missing from the lake. This morning, he’d cut the chain off the rock, rolled it far away, and used a hammer and nails to bang the Camp Blood sign onto the archway. The cops would never think Chad was responsible for freeing him. He had muscles, but they weren’t big enough to do those things by himself. Mother had called Jason a smart boy for coming up with the ideas. Maybe the legend of Crystal Lake had freed himself? Maybe another killer was responsible for freeing him, like the one from Pinehurst? Or maybe Tommy had been lying when he’d told his story to the cops. If they locked him in the crazy house forever, he wouldn’t be able to cause more problems. And he would suffer. Eight months ago, he’d been nothing like the little boy at the Jarvis House. He’d been broken.

“Jason?”

A hand touched his arm. He hadn’t seen or heard the sneaky boy enter the kitchen and sit down beside him. He gave Chad a thumbs up to say he was okay.

“Good to know. You were frozen.”

Chad began to eat the crackers, smiling as he chewed one. Not once did he look at Jason’s exposed teeth or skin on the left side of his face. Last night, he hadn’t pointed them out either, but Jason still didn’t have the courage to take his mask off. He was even more ugly now, and this house didn’t feel safe despite the closed curtains.

The sound of a motorcycle caused Chad to stop eating and bolt to his feet. He pointed at the ceiling, telling Jason to hide upstairs, but it wasn't a good idea. What if Dorf wanted to take him away? Jason strode to the front door and stood beside it, just as a flurry of knocks came.

“Oh god...” Chad dragged his feet there and unlocked the door. He opened it fully, hiding Jason from view. “What can I do for you, Officer Dorf?”

“I got a few words for you, boy, and they ain’t pretty. Need to talk to you in private.”

“Of course.” Chad stepped aside and gestured to the kitchen. “Have a seat in there.”

“Can’t believe I’m talkin’ to the same kid.” Dorf entered the house and paused a few feet away. “Well? You gonna close the door?”

“Just letting some fresh air in. It was really windy last night, so I closed the windows.”

Dorf resumed walking to the kitchen and Chad shut the door. He pointed up the stairs this time, but Jason shook his head and sat on the bottom step. Dorf couldn’t be trusted. If he tried to take Chad away or if he was too mean to him, he would have to die. This boy had gone through enough trouble in his life.

“I don’t got all day.”

With another pleading look on his way there, Chad joined him in the kitchen. “So what’s the problem?”

“The diving team went down into the lake this mornin’. They couldn’t find no rock, chain, or body. Just that broken boat floatin’ near the opposite shore.”

“What? That’s impossible.”

“You were the last one in there last night. So tell me, you got a soft spot for lunatics?”

“Give me a break. You expect me to be capable of breaking the chain, rolling the rock away, and swimming with a body that weighs over two hundred pounds?”

“Maybe you had help.”

“Oh right. I enlisted the help of my fellow serial killer lovers and we freed him together. While you guys were swarming the campground.”

“Don’t get snarky with me, boy. Unless you wanna take this to the station.”

“Sorry. I was just scared last night and I wanted to make sure he was dead, whoever he was. For some reason, this town keeps attracting copycats.”

“That’s not what you said. You were convinced a zombie was walkin’ around.”

“Yeah, well, it was dark and I was tired after a long day. I was also in shock after seeing those bodies. You said that yourself.”

“You tellin’ me the Jarvis kid was lyin’?”

“Maybe. Or he could’ve hallucinated a grand battle that never happened. After I saw Megan’s head burst, it was like my body shut down. I remember asking Tommy if he was okay, seeing the noose go over the killer’s neck... but the rest is fuzzy.”

Dorf sighed as he stood up. “I know one thing. This town’s got a lot of problems and I sure as shit won’t be dealin’ with them.”

“You’re retiring?”

“Uh-huh. Got more than enough years under my belt.”

“Oh. That’s...”

“Don’t try to hide your smile, boy. I can see it as clear as day.”

Footsteps headed for the front door, followed by softer ones. Dorf didn’t notice the statue on the stairs as he passed. He opened it and raised a hand over his shoulder on his way out.

“Jarvis asked to see you at the station. Seein’ as there’s no sheriff anymore, we gotta put up with him until the Unger folks appear.”

Chad stood in the doorway, blocking the view of the stairs. “What about Rick Cologne? I thought he’d be in charge now.”

“Wants no part of it. Says he’s movin’ to Ohio.” Dorf started his motorcycle and revved the engine a few times. “You know the drill. Don’t be goin’ too far in case we got more questions.”

“I have to do some shopping, but I’ll be in town.”

“Shoppin’ without a car, huh?”

“It’s already six years old. I had to bring it to a mechanic.”

“Well, you do whatever you gotta do.”

The motorcycle zoomed away. Chad closed the door, locked it, and turned to Jason, looking surprised by the easy encounter. Jason couldn’t believe it either. As a ghost, he’d witnessed how annoying Dorf could be, constantly driving past this house. But now it sounded like Chad wasn’t expected to stay here all the time, and his eyes sparkled as he smiled. A fun day was ahead.

“I’m gonna eat more of those delicious crackers and then we can morph home.”

Jason pointed a thumb behind him. He had to get his boots and belt from upstairs.

“You have something to do before we leave? I’ll meet you down here.”

He walked up the stairs to the bedroom and retrieved his stuff from the closet. It was so small compared to the closet at home. Everything about this house was weird, and he wished Chad could forget about it. Every month, Chad had to give money to a fat man so he could live here. Why should a boy have to live two different lives? Why did people always have to be suspicious of him? There had to be a way for him to be able to live in peace.

Jason already had an idea how to fix this problem. He slipped his socks and boots on, clipped his belt around his waist, and returned to the kitchen. Chad was trying his best to eat the crackers, but he’d only managed to make a small dent. It wasn’t a very tasty breakfast. Gently nudging the plate aside, Jason told him that he didn’t have to finish.

“Sorry. You didn’t have a lot to choose from.”

But there was a lot Jason wanted to say. He searched the drawers for a notepad and pencil, then brought them to the table to explain his idea.

_Pretend to move out of town. Live at home forever and don’t come back to this house. Stop giving money to the fat man._

Chad perked up and stared at the paper. “That could actually work. I don't have to tell the cops where I'm going. I could just say I need a break from Crystal Lake, and if they see me around town, maybe I’m shopping.” He grabbed Jason’s hand and squeezed it. “We might have to wait a few weeks until the investigation is over, but this is a great idea. You’re the smartest boy I know.”

Warmth filled Jason’s heart as he pocketed the notepad and pencil. He extended his arms for a hug, and Chad stood up to accept it.

“I don’t care if the cops come looking for me today. Let’s go home so I can get my car and buy groceries.”

Jason couldn’t agree more. If the cops had a problem with it, they could die. He morphed home, appearing beside Chad’s car, and released him. The fun would come after Chad bought food for himself and the chickens.

“I just have to get my wallet from the bedroom and brush my teeth.”

Chad jogged to the front door, unlocked it, and continued down the hallway. Jason was a patient boy as he scanned the forest for movement. When he’d snooped in the camp this morning, he’d noticed the broken gate. It was only a matter of time until trespassers found this home and did some snooping themselves. They wouldn’t get far, not with Mother protecting it. She could kill just as easily.

It didn’t take long for Chad to return. He entered his car and lowered the roof. It was a nice day for a drive, but Jason couldn’t join him. Not as a rotting monster that would attract attention. He raised a hand and Chad waved back as he drove away.

“I’ll have a few surprises when I get back!”

Keeping his hand raised, Jason watched the car until it disappeared. His heart always hurt whenever Chad left on these errands. In a perfect world, an angel and a monster could leave the house together without worrying about getting punished. As a ghost, at least he’d been able to accompany Chad everywhere, but those days were gone.

These days were filled with the fear that one day, Chad would leave forever, unable to join Jason in his eternal life. Last night had proven that no bullet, propeller, or lake could kill him. If he couldn’t die, that meant he would have to say a permanent goodbye to the angel who would eventually grow old and go to heaven.

“Where there is a will, there is a way.”

Mother stood beside him with tears in her eyes as she stared at the trail. Jason blinked and then she was gone too.

He needed to get his mind away from this sudden gloominess, and there was no better way than to snoop. Morphing was always risky because he couldn’t be sure if someone would be around, but any problems could be solved with his hands. He put his gloves on and then morphed to the crazy house, having followed a van there once. Maybe he could discover what these people planned to do with Tommy.

Luck was with Jason. Nobody was nearby when he emerged outside the fence of the Unger Institute. This fence hadn’t been here previously, and some of the windows now had bars on them. He stepped back into the forest, hiding himself from the view of anyone inside the building. Many conversations were happening throughout. He listened closely, focusing on a woman’s voice that came from the bottom floor.

“We’re rolling, Detective Rico.”

“Here we are again, Doctor Marino. But this time, it only took a matter of months before there was another massacre. Once again, your patient, Tommy Jarvis, is in the middle of it.”

“I haven’t spoken with Tommy yet, detectives. I have no details for you until I can speak with my patient. Alone.”

“Do you know what I think? What I’ve always thought since the day I got sent to this godforsaken Crystal Lake to clean up the first Jarvis mess?”

“I really don’t care, Detective Rico, but I bet my pension that you’re gonna tell me anyway.”

“I think that Jason Voorhees is nothing but an urban legend. And for some reason, it’s compelling enough to attract sick and damaged people like the patient _you_ work with. They keep coming here and carrying out their homicidal fantasies as Jason.”

“What do you want me to say, Detective Rico? That I agree with you? That Jason is an urban legend?”

“Oh I know you and I agree on that front. I just wish my associate Ms. Webb here could say the same.”

“Sir... I’ve lived here for my entire life. They can change the name to Forest Green or Green Fuckin’ Acres. It will always be Crystal Lake. And people will never forget what happened here. Or how many times it’s happened.”

“I _understand_ that. But it wasn't fucking Jason Voorhees! Jesus Christ, do you even realize that the legend doesn’t make a lick of sense? Jason drowned as a little boy and died, right? But then you locals think he came back from the dead to avenge his mother and was somehow now a grown man? And now he just keeps coming back?”

“Look, I’ve never once let superstition affect my work. All I’m saying is at a certain point, you’ve gotta look at the facts and—”

“And the fact remains that no one on God’s green earth has done more to perpetuate this bullshit story and invite this horrible shit at Crystal Lake’s front door than that Jarvis freak. And Doctor Marino here insists on _humoring_ Tommy Jarvis instead of locking him away where no one can hear from him again.”

“I’ve had enough of this! Unless you’re accusing my patient of an actual crime, then I’m done here.”

“Oh you’re done here, all right. The way I see it, you have two options. You can continue to defend your precious basket case Jarvis while bodies pile up, or you can help us shut his fuckin’ mouth once and for all and stop gettin’ people killed.”

“I’m glad this is being recorded because I believe you just threatened my patient.”

“No, Doctor, I’m threatening _you_. You’ve had years to shut down this raving lunatic but instead, he’s only gotten worse! And now I got yet another pile of innocent corpses, dead sheriffs, and an entire campground full of bleeding heart children that want to be Jason's _friend_. All because of what Tommy Jarvis brought to this godforsaken place! So do your fuckin’ job! Either cure this asshole’s insanity or lock him away where he won’t be heard from again. Or God as my witness, I will make sure that you _never_ practice psychiatry again.”

Heeled shoes clicked on the floor.

“Where you goin’? Hey, you can’t just... God damn holy Jesus flying Christmas Christ! Shut it off, Webb!”

Shortly after, a fat man and a young woman appeared outside, heading for a plain car. Rico glared at the white van that pulled into the parking lot. Tommy was in the back, not looking happy at being here, but he belonged in this place or in the ground. He didn’t deserve to live a happy life with Trish, not after all of the bad things he’d done.

The balding man with a moustache used to drive this van, but he was dead. Now there was a big lady who wouldn’t tolerate any trouble. She pushed the passenger door open, slammed it shut, and slid the next one open. Tommy winced as she grabbed his arm and yanked him out like he weighed nothing. His hands were cuffed behind him and he didn’t struggle as she pulled him towards the front doors. The van’s driver followed them inside.

It was time to get a closer look. The iron fence wouldn’t pose an issue. Jason pried the rods apart and squeezed through, then bent them back into place. The lady’s heavy footsteps led him to a window without bars, right beside where the previous conversation had come from. The window had blinds, but they were open enough for him to see through.

Tommy paused in the doorway. “Doctor Marino? I haven’t seen you in...”

“I work here now. Please have a seat. Linda, you may uncuff him and leave us.”

“Are you sure, Doctor? He gave one of the officers a broken nose.”

“I’m sure.”

Linda uncuffed him and then left, closing the door behind her. Red rings were around Tommy’s wrists. He flexed them as he sat in front of the desk.

“Thank you for meeting with me, Tommy.”

“Not like I had a choice.”

“Talk to me. Tell me what happened.”

“I put Jason at the bottom of Crystal Lake. Where he belongs.”

“They’ve had divers out there all morning. Tommy, they haven’t found anyone yet.”

“That’s... impossible! Who’s saying that? Rico? That lying bastard!”

“Maybe you put _someone_ in that lake. Someone who was killing innocent people. But it was _not_ Jason Voorhees. Do you understand me?”

“They’ve gotten to you too. Oh god, they’ve gotten to you too!”

“Nobody has _gotten_ to anybody. But Tommy, the police are convinced that psychos keep coming here to masquerade as Jason because you keep perpetuating the story!”

“Chad met me and Allen at the cemetery. We dug Jason up and his body was right there in the grave! He was never cremated, Lauren! But... but he came back to life.” Tommy’s voice shook as he continued. “He killed Allen. And all those people. And it’s all my fault.”

“Yes, Tommy. It is your fault that you attract these... these maniacs. All this town wants is to bury the Voorhees story, but you... everywhere you go, you keep it alive and _that’s_ why this happens.”

“There are witnesses! An entire campground full of witnesses saw—”

“Two witnesses. Chad Kensington, who’s been through multiple traumatic experiences, and a little girl whose mother mentioned her big imagination and tendency to have nightmares. They saw someone dressed in a hockey mask, but neither of them claimed it was Jason. _You_ are the one who refuses to let go of him.”

“I watched Jason crawl out of his grave!”

“No you didn’t, because that’s not possible!” Lauren paused for a few seconds. “Tommy, I’m sorry. I can’t help you anymore.”

“My god... they’re gonna kill me, aren’t they?”

“What? Who’s they? Who’s going to kill you, Tommy?”

“You! You sold me out to them, didn’t you? You told me you were my friend... the night I met you, you said you would protect me! Now they’re gonna kill me because I know the truth!”

Tommy grabbed a lamp and stood up, tears streaking his face. His expression was furious, making him look like a crazy boy more than ever.

Lauren rose from her chair and backed away as he circled around the desk. “Tommy, stop. Put down that lamp!”

“How could you do this to me? I’m the one who finally killed Jason! Me! But they’re all so desperate to cover it up, so they let him out! And now you’ve just signed my death warrant!”

“You’re out of control, Tommy! Put down that lamp and—”

He lifted the lamp and smashed it on her head, sending glass shards everywhere. She collapsed below the window, bleeding from multiple spots. His chest heaved as he looked down, continuing to sob.

“Oh god... I’m sorry, Lauren. I didn’t want to hurt you, but...”

His eyes flicked up, focusing on the narrow slots between the blinds. Soft chuckles left him, becoming loud laughter that drew multiple sets of footsteps to the door. His face and voice reminded Jason of a clown from one of the storybooks he’d read with Mother. As the door burst open, Tommy dropped to his knees and gripped the sides of his head. The volume of his laughter gradually decreased as two big men in blue uniforms hauled him up. Another rushed to the fallen doctor, who was still breathing.

“The window, he’s... Jason is...”

“There’s nobody at the window, kid. You’re goin’ to the quiet room.”

“No... no!”

Tommy lashed out with his arms, but these men weren’t the puny cops at the campground. They dragged him through the doorway with little effort, acting like they’d done this plenty of times. His screaming and cursing suddenly stopped halfway down the hall.

There were fates worse than death. When people were dead, their problems were over, but Tommy’s would continue for the rest of his life. That was enough for Jason, and he morphed back home.

His body felt lighter as he looked at the fluffy clouds. A day might come when he would encounter Tommy again, and on that day, the crazy boy would die. But for now, Tommy didn’t matter anymore. Jason could enjoy this life he’d built with Chad and Mother.

Many things were left to do, starting with the weeds in the vegetable garden. Jason shifted around the house, arriving within seconds. He squatted on the left side and began to pluck the weeds out, slowly making his way to the right, then did the other side. In a few weeks, there would be more fresh vegetables to harvest. Potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, peas, onions, carrots, and broccoli. He hadn’t felt hunger pains since his resurrection, but he would still be able to taste Chad’s great salads.

By the time Jason was done piling the weeds and shoving them into the garbage bag, his gloves were filthy. He tied the bag into a knot and then shifted to the water faucet to wash the dirt off. His excitement for Chad to come home was growing with each second. What surprises would come with him?

Jason didn’t have to wait long for an answer in the form of crunching gravel. After laying his gloves in the sun to dry, he shifted to the front door. The back of the car was stuffed with bags, a cage with three different colored chickens, and a medium-sized crate with a handle and slits on the side.

Chad smiled as he got out. “Close your eye and hold your hands near your chest.”

Jason followed the instructions. Something fluffy was placed onto his palms. He opened his eye and cuddled the little ball to his chest. It was a tiny white puppy. His first one ever.

“She’s a Pomeranian. Why don’t you show her the house while I bring the chickens to the back?”

The front door opened as Jason turned to the house. Mother was there, smiling warmly. She walked to the car to help bring the items inside, and Jason carried the puppy into the living room where she couldn’t get stepped on. He already had a name for her. The pure white fur reminded him of the winter, so she would be called Snow.

He lowered her to the floor carefully and let her sniff the bookshelf, couches, coffee table, television stand, and the rug in front of the fireplace. She was very spunky, hopping between locations. Best of all, she wasn’t scared of him, though she spent a minute sniffing his boots. He'd crushed a head with them last night.

The front door closed, indicating that Mother was done bringing everything inside. It was safe for Snow to explore more of the house, so Jason picked her up and brought her to the kitchen. Every inch of the table’s surface was covered in grocery bags. He searched through them until he found two metal bowls, then filled one with water and the other with kibbles from the huge bag of puppy food. Snow pranced and licked her mouth as he lowered the bowls to the floor beside the pantry. She went for the water first, thirsty after the trip home in the heat.

Still in the backyard, Chad was visible through the kitchen window, watching the chickens closely from outside their enclosure. There were five of them now and luckily they weren’t pecking each other, but he was ready to break up any fights. Open bags of hay and chicken food were beside him.

Jason couldn’t watch for long. Snow was done eating and wanted to investigate the rest of the house. She walked through the double doors into the sitting room and started to sniff everything, starting with the basement hatch in the alcove. Chad always kept it closed when he wasn’t using the laundry machines. He remembered Mother’s diary and that she’d mentioned the bad thing climbing up the ladder, but in this case, it would have to climb the new stairs. Even if it did climb, it wouldn’t be able to unlock the hatch from the inside.

Snow whined and wagged her tail as she scratched the hatch. She wanted to check out the basement, but there was no reason for her to go down there. Jason ignored her until she stopped scratching and walked somewhere else. On his first and only day at camp as a small boy, he’d witnessed another having a temper tantrum. Everyone had ignored the bad boy and eventually he’d stopped pounding his fists and feet on the floor. So when dogs misbehaved or wanted something they couldn’t have, maybe it was best to teach them by not giving attention. It was working for Snow, who’d shifted her focus to sniffing the two chairs on either side of the front window.

The opening of the back door provided another distraction. She scampered across the floor, through the kitchen, and into the hallway. Chad barely had time to close the door before she was pawing at his leg, asking to be picked up.

“Okay, okay.”

Chad sighed and picked her up, cringing as she licked his face. He was pretending not to like it, but half of his mouth curled into a smile. They were already friends. It gave Jason an idea as he pointed at the staircase.

“Want me to watch her while you get something?”

Jason nodded and signed a word. _Snow._

“That’s a great name. I’ll leash her and see if she needs to do her business outside.”

The item was the camera from Packanack. After going upstairs and grabbing it from the bedroom dresser, Jason went to the backyard. The puppy had her nose in the grass, sniffing everything she could find. It was a big world out here, and a fence needed to be built so she wouldn’t stray into the forest. That would be Jason’s project over the next few days. But first he wanted to capture a memory. He grunted to get Chad’s attention and then pointed at the middle of the yard.

“Oh, you want to take a photo? Good idea. We still have the other frame to use.”

Chad dropped to a knee and held Snow against his chest. She gave his face a few more licks as Jason squatted a few feet away from them. This camera had several buttons, but Chad had shown him the two most important. One for turning it on and another for taking the photo. Jason looked through the lens and didn’t even have to ask for a bright smile. It was already there as he pressed the button to take a photo of Chad and the new member of the family.

The photo emerged from the slot and Jason pulled it out. He couldn’t wait to frame it, but there were groceries to put into the fridge and freezer, so he pocketed the photo for later. Chad also remembered, gasping as he bolted to his feet. The sound caused Snow to whine at him and tilt her head.

“The groceries. I hope they didn’t go bad.”

He jogged into the house, carrying his fluffy friend with him. Jason followed close behind, striding as fast as he could. A curious puppy meant he wouldn’t be able to help put the groceries away. Snow had to be watched carefully until she got used to the house. Chad lowered her to the floor, unclipped the leash from her pink collar, and entered the kitchen to wash his hands. Immediately she took off, skidding into the doorway that led to the staircase. She was going to be a handful, but Jason was ready to take on the responsibility of keeping her safe.

The stairs were the first trial. Because of her short legs, she couldn’t climb them normally. She placed her paws on the first one and stretched her body, but it was still too tall. Jason gave her a gentle boost up and repeated the process until she was halfway to the upper level. Then she surprised him by hoisting herself to the next ones until she was at the top. She was either a quick learner or had experience from her previous house. Regardless of the reason, Jason was proud of her for trying her best and succeeding, so he gave her a few scratches on her back.

Mother’s bedroom door was closed and that was a good thing. A rotting body could scare a puppy, but that didn’t stop Snow from trying to get inside. She scratched and whined, receiving nothing in return, and eventually she moved to the next door. The same was done with Jason’s bedroom, which he kept closed because it represented his past life. He’d had fun with Mother, but this life was even more bright.

His new bedroom was always kept open. He followed Snow inside, put the camera onto the dresser, and let her sniff around as he framed the photo. It showed a happy boy, surrounded by colorful flowers as he knelt in the grass with a puppy in his arms. Happy and beautiful, with blue eyes that sparkled and blond hair that shone in the sunlight.

Jason put the frame back beside the teddy bear and then walked to the toy chest, which Snow was trying to open. She wasn’t nearly tall enough to reach the latch, and even if she could, these toys weren’t appropriate for a puppy. But he didn’t wag a finger, instead letting her get tired of trying.

Her last destination was the bathroom, which smelled like cleaning products. There weren’t any places she could reach or scents that interested her, so she didn’t spend as long in here. The upper level had been investigated and it was time to go back downstairs, but she hesitated at the top. One wrong step and she could tumble all the way down. This would be a trial for another day.

Jason grabbed her and carried her to the kitchen, where Chad was washing his hands. The crate and a small dog bed were the only things left, resting on the floor near the table. The bed held a bunch of toys, but there was enough room for Jason to lower Snow into it.

“I figure she can have two places to sleep. We can bring the carrier to our room and leave the bed down here in case she needs a nap.”

Jason nodded. At night, she should stay close to avoid getting into trouble. The carrier was at least five times her size, so she wouldn’t feel squished in there.

“After lunch, I’m thinking of calling Sabrina and getting a few guys to fix the stairs in the tower. They’ll just have to be careful when coming here. Sound good?”

He nodded again, then signed _fence_ and pointed at himself.

“You want to build a fence while they’re doing that? I’ll give her a call and then bring your axe down.”

Snow was already curled up in her bed, tuckered out from her exciting adventure through the house. Chad smiled as he tiptoed out of the kitchen. He returned within a few minutes and handed Jason the axe that hadn’t been held in years. It felt strange but familiar, bringing back memories of building the clothesline and getting attacked by Chris.

Jason thanked him with a slight nod and then stalked outside, closing the door softly behind him. He didn’t have rope to tie the fence posts together, but he could chop trees. There was no shortage of them in the forest. His axe was still sharp after all of these years, needing only a single strike to topple them. He chose the skinnier ones to lessen the amount of work that would be required to shape their trunks and branches into posts.

Once a dozen trees had been cleared, he trimmed their branches off, threw everything into a pile, and hauled half of them over his shoulder to the backyard. He was an even stronger boy now, feeling no pain from the weight. After dumping them at the border, he returned for the other half. He didn’t know how to fix the stairs in the tower, but he would build a great fence that would make Chad proud of him and prevent Snow from getting lost or munched by wild animals. His heart wouldn’t be able to stand losing her. Boys couldn’t have babies, so she was the closest thing to having one with Chad.

Jason had done everything he could out here. The scent of sausages drew him back to the kitchen. Snow was whining at Chad's feet by the stove. He also knew he couldn’t give in to her demands, and eventually she stopped and curled up in her bed. It was tempting to comfort her, but Jason sat on a chair instead. She would grow to be a good girl and not a spoiled one.

“The puppy and chickens weren’t the only surprises. If you check our bedroom, you’ll find something else.”

More surprises? Jason was the spoiled one. He strode to the stairs, took them two at a time, and shifted down the hallway. Two big shopping bags were in front of the dresser, almost bursting. He knelt and searched through the first, discovering ten pairs of leather gloves and ten shirts in different shades of brown, green, and blue. The other bag was the same but with socks and pants. He could hardly believe what his eye was showing him. What had he done to deserve all of these presents?

“My sweet boy... you love him and that’s enough.” Mother was beside him, smiling as she opened a bottom drawer. It was packed with the silly girl clothes that Chad didn’t like to wear. “Come, let us get rid of these.” She opened the drawer beside it. “And these.”

Jason pulled the skirts, stockings, and other items out of the drawers. Mother helped by putting them into a garbage bag she’d brought. This should’ve been done a long time ago. Chad looked cute when he was embarrassed, but boys shouldn’t be forced to wear these clothes. Their removal made room for Jason to place the folded shirts in one drawer and the pants in the other. He closed them and then put the gloves and socks in the top drawer with the rest of the socks he'd received on his birthday. But what should be done with the girl clothes? They still had the tags attached, so maybe the lady at the store would take them back.

“Lunch is on the table! I’m gonna meet the workers in the front. They just arrived.”

He accepted the garbage bag from Mother and went downstairs to the kitchen. His plate held four sausages and a pile of hash browns, plus there was a bowl of colorful salad and a glass of water. Dirty dishes were in the sink, so Chad must’ve eaten already. Jason removed his mask and devoured everything within minutes. The urge to snoop was preventing him from fully enjoying the variety of flavors. Hopefully the men wouldn’t take long to fix the stairs. It was never comfortable to have them here, even though they hadn’t tried to do anything bad to Chad when they’d fixed the house previously.

They were already starting to work. Banging sounds came from the tower and there was something else. Whining from the living room. That's where Snow had to be. After putting his mask back on, Jason shifted there and found her pawing the wall below the front window. She wanted to snoop too, so he picked her up and poked his head between the curtains.

A black truck and an old brown car were parked outside. Sabrina stood beside the car, talking to Chad. This couldn’t be the same lady. Her red hair was braided and hanging down one side of her chest, she wasn’t wearing any makeup, and her clothes were nothing like the shiny devil outfit she’d worn in the store. The white blouse, flared black skirt, and flat shoes were similar to Mother’s modest style when she’d dressed up for church, but the gold wedding ring was far different. It had a blood red jewel that seemed to glow.

For a second, Sabrina's green eyes flicked in Jason's direction, and he jerked back. This was the same lady.

“Do you wanna come inside while the work’s being done?” Chad asked.

“If they don’t mind.”

“They?”

“Are you not aware of the other guests in your house?”

“Uh... it’s just me and him. And I’m sure he won’t mind if you’re here for a little bit.”

Chad walked with her to the front door, which was open. There was something really weird about this lady. Jason lowered Snow to the floor, suddenly wishing he was a ghost again. What if some of his ugly face was seen? He stalked to the hallway and peeked around the corner as the door closed. Soft footsteps headed for the intersection.

“I came here once, many years ago... the previous tenant, Mr. Walker, was convinced that an evil spirit was haunting him.”

“That’s impossible. The Voorhees family bought this in the forties. Maybe you’re thinking of another house?”

“I’m quite certain it was this one.” Sabrina stopped at the intersection of the hallways and turned her head in this direction. Snow was trotting towards her, but the puppy stopped halfway and whimpered, staring at something above Sabrina's head. “Well aren’t you a little ball of cuteness? Don’t be afraid, my sweet.”

Snow took a hesitant step forward and then whirled around, running away so fast that she skidded past Jason.

Chad shrugged. “I guess she’s just being shy. I adopted her today.”

They resumed walking down the hallway. Jason looked at Snow and raised his hand in a stop sign, asking her to stay here. He’d only taken a few steps when she appeared beside him, wagging her tail. How was he supposed to snoop like this? One of her tiny paws could get crushed by his boot if he wasn’t careful. He picked her up, clutched her to his chest, and resumed his own walking.

The footsteps stopped in the kitchen, and once again, he peeked around the corner. There wasn’t a boy in this world who could sneak better than him. Neither of them noticed as they investigated the garbage bag near the table. Chad smiled at the contents.

“Is the return window still open?”

“I’m afraid it expired five years and ten months ago. But for you, I’ll make an exception. In exchange for these, my men will do the work for free.”

“Deal. Want a cup of tea while you wait for them to finish?”

“If you don’t mind, there’s something I’d like to see upstairs. In the hallway to be precise.”

“Sure, but uh... never mind. Let’s go.”

Jason squished himself against the back door and froze. He couldn’t shift down the hallway with a sleeping puppy in his arms. But he was also good at being a statue, so maybe they wouldn’t see him. Chad led the way out of the kitchen to the doorway across, and neither of them turned their heads. He waited until the stairs stopped creaking before he followed.

The first two doors were closed, so there wasn’t anywhere to hide up here. He kept his feet on the top step, ready to stalk back down as he peered into the hallway. There was another weird sight. Sabrina was staring at the ceiling between Jason’s old and new bedroom.

“Strange. There used to be an attic here.”

“Maybe that Mr. Walker guy covered it up. But more importantly, how did you know that? Did you visit Pamela while she was living here?”

Sabrina lowered her head and looked sideways at Chad. “No. I did not visit.”

“Then how...”

“Perhaps I’ll have that cup of tea. Let us return to the kitchen.”

Jason sneaked down the stairs two at a time, arriving at the bottom before the footsteps reached the top. He strode through the kitchen and into the sitting room, still carrying the sleeping puppy. Chad had moved Snow’s bed and it was now beside the double doors. She would be more comfortable in there. Jason carefully lowered her and then bolted to the other side of the doorway, just before Chad and Sabrina entered the kitchen. Why were they smiling so much?

“Have a seat and I’ll get the tea ready. Hope you don’t mind decaf.”

“It’s the only tea I drink. I take it with a bit of milk and no sugar.”

“Same as me. I’m not a fan of the caffeine headaches.”

On his way to the sink, Chad grabbed the dirty dishes off the table. A new kettle stood on the counter, different than what Mother had used. He added some water and then pressed a button. While the water boiled, he rinsed out two cups, poured a bit of milk in them, and put a fancy teabag inside each.

“Earl Grey? You have excellent taste.”

Chad smiled as he poured the boiled water into the cups. He let the teabags sit for a minute before puling them out by their strings and lowering them into a tiny glass dish. This was very interesting. Now he could be surprised with tea in the mornings.

He carried the cups to the table and leaned across to place one in front of Sabrina. She was sitting in Jason’s usual spot that faced the stove, hands resting on either side of her cup. After Chad sat down, she began to speak in that soft voice of hers. The kind that would make a boy’s hair stand up if he had any.

“Mr. Walker was a troubled man. When he came to my shop, seeking my services, I didn’t realize the full extent of his troubles at the time. He invited me to this house and together we searched for a solution. But there was no evil spirit to be found and banished, for his affliction was of the mind. Not even the strongest potion could help him. A week later, the house went up for sale.”

“I’m not gonna ask about this potion stuff. But did he kill his family or something?”

“The owner, Mr. Lasko, offered no information and refused my request to visit. I suspected he was covering something up. A tragedy that occurred by the hands of his tenant. Indeed, when I stood below the attic just a few moments ago, I felt spiritual energy.”

“Good or bad?”

“They wish to be set free. I believe their bodies, or what’s left of them, remain in the attic.”

So that’s why Mother had constantly sprayed air freshener in the hallway. It’s also why she’d told Jason to never go into the attic. Instead of dragging the bodies outside, she’d sealed it to avoid scaring him.

“But there’s a cemetery on the hill in the backyard. Grave markers too.”

Sabrina took a sip of her tea and sighed as she lowered the cup. “Perhaps Mr. Walker intended to bury them, but he had a change of heart. Perhaps his mind was too far gone and he only wished to end his suffering.”

“What should we do?”

“I cannot be certain that they wish us no harm. After I prepare my materials, I’ll get my men to remove the bodies and then we’ll burn them. In the meantime, do not be concerned. If my beliefs are true, the spirits are bound to their place of death. The attic.”

Chad’s face was so pale that he looked like a ghost. “What if they aren’t?”

“Well... then I suspect this might be the last time we see each other.” Sabrina chuckled at Chad’s saucer eyes and open mouth. “You are still here, are you not? If they meant you harm, we wouldn’t be speaking right now.”

“When do you think we can get rid of these guests?”

“I want you to enjoy your Friday with your handsome boy. Does tomorrow night strike your fancy?"

“That works for me, but there’s something else I need to ask. How did you know to give him the birthday presents?”

“I know many things.” Sabrina finished her tea in a single sip, stood up, and grabbed the garbage bag of clothes. “I must return. Mike is manning the shop, and he much prefers to stand there and look imposing.”

Chad also drained his tea and stood up. “I’ll walk you to your car. I wanna see the progress in the tower anyway.”

They left the house together and Jason returned to his previous spot at the front window in the living room. As Sabrina approached the driver’s side, Chad called out to her.

“Wait. One last question, if you don't mind... how old are you really?”

Sabrina paused and glanced over her shoulder, smiling in a way that was more sad than happy. “I've lived for a long time. Perhaps too long.”

She entered her old car and put the garbage bag onto the passenger seat. Her wedding ring glowed in the sunlight as she reached for her seat belt, but then she slowly lowered her hand to grip the steering wheel. The engine sputtered to life with a few turns of the key. After backing up, she turned around and eventually disappeared down the trail. This lady was definitely weird, but she was allowed to visit again. The only ghost that could live here was Mother. The rest had to leave.

Footsteps approached Chad from the tower, and he turned his head to the noise. Three men appeared, their sleeveless shirts covered in sweat. One was carrying a big tool bag.

“Work’s done. We replaced the broken step and reinforced the rest with thicker metal. No charge.”

“But how did you know? She didn’t tell you about the deal I made with her.”

“A deal was made before you even called.”

The man hopped onto the back of the truck and the two others entered the front. He raised a hand as they drove off, but Chad was too stunned to wave back. Once the truck was out of sight, he turned to the window and beckoned Jason outside.

“Why don’t you leash Snow and meet me in the backyard? Sabrina gave us something.”

Jason nodded and then strode to the sitting room. The puppy was still in her bed, now chewing the tail of a raccoon toy. She jumped out, followed him to the back door without being asked, and waited patiently as he clipped the leash to her collar. He couldn’t tell her what a good girl she was, so he had to settle for petting her.

He opened the door and let her walk ahead of him. Chad was standing beside a picnic table on the right side of the yard, and Mother was also there, sitting on it with her hands folded on her lap. The chickens were loose and pecking the grass near the coop, and Snow wagged her tail as she pulled on the leash. What if she wanted to have a chicken snack? Keeping a tight grip, Jason shut the door with his other hand.

The chickens stopped pecking as Snow got closer to them. They would have to learn to live together. Jason relaxed his grip slightly, calming himself. A good girl wouldn’t munch them. She was just curious about something she hadn’t seen before. Mother Clucker was the boldest, strutting towards Snow until the two of them were almost touching beak to nose. She was older, wiser, and also had a size advantage over such a tiny puppy. They stared at each other and then she spread her wings, telling Snow that she was the boss.

The other four chickens wandered over and crowded around. Chicken Pox even stuck her beak into the soft fur, maybe to look for bugs or take a good whiff. Snow responded by continuing to pant, her open mouth making her look like she was smiling. Everyone was going to be great friends. After clucking among themselves, the chickens went back to their previous spots.

Snow had seen Mother already, but she wanted to investigate her next. Showing no hesitation, she walked to the picnic table. Mother’s hands were freezing, so she didn’t pet the puppy. But she did smile warmly, causing Snow to try hopping onto her lap. It was too high.

Mother extended a hand, offering to take the leash, and Jason gave it to her. “Remember what we used to do in the afternoon? Go with your boy. I’ll take care of Snow.”

Jason nodded and took Chad’s hand. He walked alongside him to the tower at the front of the house. In the afternoon, he used to relax on the bench with Mother and sometimes have a nap before dinner. There was no need for Afternoon Delight when Jason could just hold his boy and enjoy his company quietly.

He opened the door to the tower and stepped inside. A few spiders had made this place their home again, but he would get rid of them. Chad closed the door tightly to prevent more from skittering through, then slowly followed Jason up the winding stairs. They didn’t break this time. At the top, there was an old bench that overlooked the backyard. Jason released Chad’s hand and sat on the bench gingerly, testing its strength. It creaked, but it didn’t break either. He patted the space beside him, and once Chad was also seated, Jason wrapped an arm around him.

There was a beautiful view from up here. When Jason had looked into the mirror a few days ago, it had been the opposite. His nose and the skin around his mouth were gone, causing his top and bottom teeth to be exposed. His upper lip had rotted away and his lower lip hung diagonally, drooping so much that a corner was almost reaching his jaw. Smiling was nearly impossible. And with the damage from the propeller, his molars on the left side were showing.

Chad already knew about that part. He could see the teeth through the missing section of Jason’s mask, but that didn’t stop him from smiling. “Remember what I told you six years ago? Even if you had green skin and no teeth, you would never be ugly to me. When people love each other, they see things that others can’t.”

Enough hiding from this kind boy. Jason removed his mask and set it aside. His protector had also been his curse.

“You’re still the handsome boy I fell in love with.” Chad leaned up and placed a gentle kiss on Jason’s lower lip. He turned his head to the backyard and smiled, his sparkling blue eyes and golden hair making him look like an angel. A soft yawn left his mouth as he rested his head against Jason’s arm. “Look what we’ve built here, Jason... together...”

After six years, the handmade clothesline was still standing. Birds chirped to each other in the trees, and some of them had damp feathers from playing in the bath. Colorful flowers and thick grass swayed in the wind. New batches of vegetables were growing in the garden. Short fruit trees were trying to get taller. A tiny ball of white fluff took turns chasing chickens and getting chased by them as Mother watched from the picnic table. This scene would always be remembered, even after time had taken its toll.

When people got older, their hair turned white, they got sick more easily, wrinkles formed on their skin, and their bodies couldn’t do the same things they used to. Chad wouldn’t live forever, and Jason wouldn’t be able to bring him back like Mother had done. There was something he could do though. Years into the future, when it was time to say goodbye, he could hold Chad in his arms until the last breath. And when Chad was gone, Jason would have the photo to keep him company. A photo that showed a young and happy boy enjoying his life with his new puppy.

Mother had said something. Where there was a will, there was a way. If there was a way to make this boy live forever, Jason would find it. If he couldn’t, he would wait as long as it took for Chad to come back to him in another life. The legend of Crystal Lake wouldn’t roll over and die of a broken heart. Mother had taught him to be a strong boy, and strong boys didn’t give up, no matter how dark the world became. They stayed hopeful that one day, things would get better. Maybe they could find a friend or even someone to love?

Hope had brought a beautiful angel to an ugly boy. Jason closed his eye and tried to smile as he listened to the soft breathing beside him. He had no need for sleep, but in these quiet moments, he was the happiest boy in the world. Away from the killing, together with his Chad.

One day, this little angel might leave him. But not today.


End file.
